Attack of the Clones
by Amme Moto
Summary: Carth didn't believe Connan when she said she'd been dragged to the future. What's he got to say when he gets pulled into the future along with her? Now they've got to find their way home while protecting Senator Padme and Anakin. Now complete!
1. Run

**Run**

"Once more, Bastila."

"I think you've gained all your strength back, Connan." Bastila threw down her sword and wiped her face with her sleeve. "We've been at this for days. You're still not fully recovered, and you're already throwing me down without a second glance."

"Well I'm trying to get to it without even looking." Connan spat, slashing her sword through the air. "Now _please_."

"Connan, you need to rest." Carth strode it, grabbing Connan's arm. She jerked it away.

"I do _not _need to rest," She snapped. She threw down the sword, leaving the storage room.

"Where are you going?" Carth asked, following.

"To look at the datapad." Connan answered. "And since when did I have to run everything by you?"

"Since you nearly died six days ago." Carth answered.

"Well I'm not dead and I'm not dying." Connan answered, clicking the button in the garage to open up the ramp.

"No, but you're worrying me." Carth said. Connan whirled around on him, a slightly annoyed look on her face. Carth raised an eyebrow.

"What's worrying you exactly, Carth? The fact that I nearly died almost a week ago, or that I've been gone for eight months in the future?"

"Connan, there's no way to prove that—"

"No way to prove it?" Connan repeated, shocked. "So you honestly think I took the time to sit down and type in eight months worth of entries on this datapad, explain whatever I was doing to Æliesha since she _obviously _agrees with me on everything, and then crack my own ribs all for pranks' sake?"

"No one knows _what _that dog's saying but you, Connan." Carth chided. Connan poked him, chuckling dryly.

"I'll remember that next time I decide I want to pull a ridiculously elaborate plot over your eyes." Connan turned and left the ship.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Carth warned, following.

Inside the main hold, Candorous and Jolee sat, chuckling.

"Bastila, they're fighting again. Go and make sure they're alright." Jolee called.

"Why me?" Bastila whined.

"Because Mission is out with Zaalbar somewhere and Juhani's asleep. Now _go_." Candorous answered. Bastila groaned, leaving the ship.

-----

"Where are you going now?" Carth called. Connan stormed off.

"Somewhere away from everyone." Connan spat. "I need to examine this."

"Again? You've looked over it twenty times in the last hour." Carth said.

"And I'll continue to look over it until I can make some sense of it." Connan jumped up onto a rock.

"At least come and look at it inside the ship." Carth negotiated. "It's burning up out here."

"I made it through four days; I can take a little heat now." Connan turned on the datapad, pulling her hair away from her face, and began reading.

"Damn it, Connan, just do it for my own peace of mind." Carth yelped. Connan looked up from her 'pad. "You almost died six days ago," he began. "If you die, I die." Connan's eyes softened as Carth held up a hand to her. "Come inside, please. I'll even leave you alone for a few hours. I promise."

Connan pulled herself down with the help of Carth and wrapped her arms around his neck. He whirled her around.

"Alright." She touched her forehead to his. "Let's get inside."

"Good, I came out here for nothing." Bastila was heard from the ramp. She sounded aggravated. She spun around and headed inside as Connan made her way to the ramp, Carth hanging his arms around her shoulders.

A pang of fear brushed Connan as a large purring sound emitted from behind her. She stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Carth asked, pulling away from her. Connan spun around to look behind Carth.

The _Byssual_. It rotated around, scanning the area for Connan. She froze, paling. Carth turned around to find what scared Connan so much.

"Is that—"

"Uh-huh."

"Is it—"

"Uh-huh."

"Are you going to let it—"

"Nuh-huh." Connan reached slowly for her blaster. "Don't move." She yanked out the blaster and shot at the _Byssual._

The shot fazed through the _Byssual _as if nothing happened. It locked its center on Connan.

"Uh-oh." She said. She fired at it again. It still went through it. "Run."

Carth took off, Connan close behind him.

"Why's it back?" Carth asked, panting to catch his breath.

"I don't know." Connan said, keeping pace with Carth. "And it doesn't hurt it if I fire at it. That's not strange at all."

"Well, it's gaining on us." Carth looked back. It was chasing them.

"Head for Naga Sadow's Tomb!" Connan called.

"But it's closed off!"

"I know that! Climb it!" Connan answered.

-----

Candorous looked out the window when he heard the blaster shots. He blanched.

"Jolee," He called, motioning for the old man to look out the window.

Jolee stood and sauntered over to the glass and watched.

"Oh, dear." He pulled on his skin.

Connan and Carth were making like shots toward Naga Sadow's Tomb, with the _Byssual _right on their tails.

"This isn't good." He said, leaving the med bay. "This really isn't good."

The ramp opened and Jolee ran out. Candorous followed.

"What isn't good?"

-----

Connan scaled the tomb faster than Carth, helping him pull up onto some of the larger rock forms.

"Well, now what?" Carth asked as they reached the top.

"Now?" Connan looked down at the _Byssual, _as it seemed perplexed at their disappearance. "Now we hope it can't leave the ground."

"And if it can?" Carth asked. Connan rubbed her chin.

"Then we run across the wall." She shrugged.

"What wall?" Carth gawked. "We're on top of a tomb."

"Does this not look like a wall to you?" Connan turned Carth around. "Look, all we have to do it jump across that, run through that, slide down that pillar and we're on the ground again! We can keep going in this circle for hours."

"Oh, yeah, that makes _perfect _sense." Carth groaned. He checked on the _Byssual_.

It was flying toward them.

"Get going!" Connan pushed Carth. "Let's hope all this thing can do is chase us."

"And absorb blaster shots."

"That too."

Carth leapt over a gap between the tomb and a fallen pillar, catching Connan as she came, too. Carth ran across the flaky tomb frame, Connan on his heels. The ground crumbled behind Connan as she walked.

"It was a good idea, beautiful, but we can't do it now." Carth admitted. "We'll have to think of something else." He slid down the pillar, catching her as she went.

"Well, let's—"

"Watch out!" Carth pulled Connan away from the pillar, as the _Byssual _stretched a long, stringy purple tentacle at them. The tentacle wrapped around them, surrounding them.

"Well, this isn't good." Connan shrugged. "Watch out." She unsheathed a lightsaber and sent it crashing through the tentacle.

The tentacle retracted.

The _Byssual _made a loud clanging noise, obviously in pain. As the tentacle went limp around Carth and Connan, Connan pulled Carth away from the tomb.

"If we keep it busy, it'll have to retreat sometime, right?" She asked him. He chuckled nervously.

"Right."

Another limb reached itself around Connan and Carth, halting them from turning to the left. Carth veered right, only to be stopped by another appendage.

"Okay, now we're trapped." Connan admitted. She attempted to strike at the _Byssual _with her lightsaber again. It wrapped one of its tentacles around Connan's hands, restricting her from using them. Screaming, Connan pulled back. Nothing happened.

She was caught.

"Not again," She whimpered. "Come on! Not again!" She pulled back again.

Carth grabbed the purple tentacle and jerked in the other direction.

"Carth, just run." Connan told him, heaving her shoulders to try and release her hands. "Run! Run before it gets you, too."

"You jump, I jump, Connan." Carth said, still pulling on the limb. It wrapped itself around his arms. "And besides, there's no escaping it now."

Sighing, Connan nodded. She stood straight and watched as the _Byssual _neared them.

"What can I expect when it hits us?"

"Last time it happened, I blanked out and woke up three weeks later on Coruscant, remember?" Connan told him. "But I might've just gotten lucky. We could end up anywhere, for all I know."

"Alright," Carth resigned, bracing himself. "Here it comes," He huddled behind Connan to brace her and so she'd land on him if they fell.

Carth blacked out as the large, purple blob engulfed him and Connan.

-----

Connan woke up, turning her head and opening her eyes. She stopped short.

Something wasn't right.

She was having déjà vu. She _had _to have been having déjà vu. She was covered in a thin sheet; only cover enough to keep her from freezing in the tiled room. She sighed, pursing her lips. Feeling around the room with her mind, shoe found nothing in particular which grabbed her attention. A countertop with her possessions on them, yes. Her lightsabers were placed carefully into the bag, set apart from her flute.

"_This isn't strange at all…." _Connan sat up. She looked around the sterile room. She was sitting on a small, white cot. Beside her, her vital signs beeped her pulse on a machine.

"Uhn…" Connan turned her head to the left. In the corner of the room Carth slept on a separate cot. Connan yelped.

"Carth!" She leapt up. "Carth, get up!" She shook his arm, sitting on his bed.

Carth coughed, sitting up and hitting his chest.

"Whoa, that was—"

"Carth, don't panic, okay?" Connan told him, feeling his forehead. "We're not on Korriban anymore."

"Where are we?" Carth asked, pulling himself up so Connan could sit on his bed, as well. "This looks nothing like the _Ebon Hawk_."

"Well…." Connan hesitated. "I know _where _we are, I just don't know _when _we are."

"When we are?" Carth sputtered. "You don't actually think that—"

"That we're in the future? Yes, I do. We're on Coruscant, Carth." Connan interrupted.

"On _Coruscant_? Impossible. Maybe, there's still a Dreshdae settlement." Carth answered.

"Not that looks like this." Connan countered. "And besides, look out the window. There's one big city." She pointed to the glass. A speeder whizzed by. "And—" She paused.

"What is it?" Carth asked. Connan held up a hand, calling her bag to her.

"There's someone coming." She said, opening her pack and pulling out one of her sabers and a blaster. She handed the blaster to Carth. "Stay still."

Carth stayed behind Connan, hearing the footsteps of someone nearing the room that he and Connan shared. He turned his blaster to stun and held it to the door.

With a _shuck _the large, white door opened and a man appeared. Connan turned on her lightsaber and held it protectively in front of her. Carth rested his arm on Connan's shoulder, his blaster next to her face.

The man laughed. His brown hair flowed to his shoulders and wiggled as he shook his head.

"Connan, you haven't aged a day." He said. Connan gaped, dropping her lightsaber.

"What?" Carth asked.

"Do I… know you?" Connan asked. The man stopped laughing, rubbing his chin.

"You don't recognize me?" He asked, tugging at his hair.

"I haven't aged a day?" Connan repeated. "What year is it?"

"That might help. The Republic year is nineteen thousand ten." The man nodded.

"Nineteen _thousand_?" Carth said, obviously shocked. Connan and the other man ignored him.

"Remember me now?" He asked, spinning around. Connan squinted.

The image flew into her mind, a boy with his hair cut short and a small braid tucked behind his ear. She gasped, dropping her jaw.

"O—Obi Wan Kenobi?"

-----

**And that's where I end it! If I feel like updating before next Sunday (which I probably will) I'll do it. And _still _update on the Sunday! Anyway, thanks so much guys, for sticking with the story so closely. Please review!**


	2. Information

**Information**

"O—Obi Wan Kenobi?" Connan's eyes bulged. The man laughed.

"So you _do _remember me!" He cried happily, flinging his arms out.

"Only one way to be sure." Connan said, rubbing her chin. She slung out her arms. "Force!" Carth raised an eyebrow.

"Stop that!" The man cringed.

"You _are _Obi Wan!"

Connan squealed, running into Obi Wan and embracing him. Obi Wan spun Connan around.

"Force, it's Obi Wan! You're alive! Look at you! You're not scrawny anymore!" She laughed as Obi Wan set her down.

"I was never scrawny." Obi Wan argued.

"Oh, of course you were." Connan pushed his chest. "But look at _you_! What did you do to your hair?"

"I decided to let it grow out." Obi Wan glanced behind Connan. "And who's your friend?" Connan turned to see a slightly miffed Carth. His shoulders were pushed back and his chin stuck up, as if trying to size himself up to the Jedi.

"Oh." Connan beamed. "_This _is Carth Onasi." She pointed to Carth. "Carth, this is Obi Wan Kenobi."

"He's the one you couldn't get along with." Carth guessed, standing. He scratched his head absentmindedly. He was nervous enough already without Connan hanging all over another guy he didn't know.

"That's him." Connan said, grabbing Carth's hand.

"I've heard a lot about you." Carth shook Obi Wan's hand briskly.

"Likewise." Obi Wan smiled.

"Obi Wan, how long has it been since I left?" Connan asked. Obi Wan gave her a sideways glance.

"It's been ten years, Connan." He answered. Connan leaned onto Carth.

"Ten years?" She repeated. "How can that be? I got back a week ago."

"It's been ten years, Connan." Obi Wan clarified. "I'm sure of it."

"Well, that's a big change." Connan sighed. "So you'd better fill us in on what's going on around here."

"Well, there is a lot to talk about." Obi Wan insisted. "And I'd much rather wait for my Padawan to get here before I start explaining."

"You wouldn't have to wait long, Master."

Behind Obi Wan stood a tall, lankly boy with his hair but short and a small braid tucked behind his ear. He glanced from Obi Wan, to Carth, and stopped at Connan. He grinned widely.

"Connan?" He asked. Connan looked him up and down.

"Ani?" She asked. He giggled. Connan gasped loudly, hugging the boy. "Little Anakin Skywalker? Force, you're _huge_! You're almost taller than _I _am! Look how big you are!"

"I've missed you, Connan." Anakin wrapped his arms around Connan and hugged her tightly. "And you've come at a great time." He glanced at Obi Wan. "But we'll explain that in a minute. Who else did the _Byssual _pull in this time?"

"Well, Anakin," Connan backed up to Carth, who wrapped an arm around Connan protectively. "You remember what that long story I told you right before I left was about? The one about Revan?"

"I never forgot it since."

"_This _is Carth Onasi." She said. Anakin's smile brightened considerably.

"Oh, this is him." He said, enthusiastically shaking Carth's hand with emphasis. "Welcome to the future." He joked. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Yeah, among other things." Carth chided, giving Connan "the look".

"Let's head into the cantina so we can tell you what's been going on," Obi Wan said. "There's a lot to talk about."

-----

"So, what's happening as of late?" Connan crossed one leg over the other and folded her fingers into each other, resting her elbows on the table in front of her. Carth sat next to her, facing Anakin. Obi Wan started, sitting in front of Connan.

"Well, Anakin is now a Padawan." He said, nudging his student with his elbow. Anakin smiled toothily.

"Ah, I remember my Padawan days… both times." Connan reminisced. "Have you two been on many missions?"

"Oh, lots of them." Anakin said, turning red and laughing. "There was once where Master Obi Wan fell into a gundark nest."

"Oh, you _would _start off with _that _little adventure, wouldn't you my young Padawan." Obi Wan groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Ah!" Connan slapped the table. "Gundarks are the worst to fall into. Why would you do something like that?"

"Let me tell you, Ms. I-Know-Everything-There-Is-To-Know, that I didn't _fall_, I was pushed." Obi Wan pointed at Connan dejectedly, shaking an index finger at her.

"I saved him." Anakin bragged.

"And what happened to the humility of the Jedi, Anakin?" Obi Wan inquired.

"Please, I've known Connan for years, and she doesn't even know the meaning of humility." Carth interjected. Connan giggled.

"He's right." She hugged his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. "But why don't we start on recent times."

"Better—" Obi Wan countered. "Why don't you tell us exactly what happened once you left us."

Carth chuckled sourly, rubbing his upper lip and standing up.

"Not this again…." He griped, pacing in circles beside their table.

"What?" Connan asked. "You don't mean—you still don't…." Connan stood, grabbing Carth's shoulder. "Are you dense? Did you _not _see the _Byssual _swallow us up? Have you _not _been listening to these two?"

"What's going on, Connan?" Anakin stood; shocked that Connan was worked up.

"He still doesn't believe me." Connan spat, jabbing her thumb into Carth's right arm.

"There's nothing to believe." Carth shrugged.

"There's _everything _to believe, Carth! You just don't want to believe it because it works against logic."

"He won't believe that you're in the future?" Obi Wan glanced at Carth.

"She was only gone for an instant." Carth reasoned. "So there's no way she could have—"

"Why don't you just believe me when I tell you this, Carth?" Connan cried. She crossed her arms. "Do you still lack so much faith in me?"

"It's not that, Connan. It's just that—"

"That… what? That I could have typed in eight months worth of entries in my datapad in eight minutes, disappear into thin air for not even a second with my dog and come back with apparent dehydration, muscle slacks, and such a rusty right hook that even _Mission _can block it?" Connan threw her arms in the air. "You want me to just put that mask back on and start assassinating people here? Like…. the Chancellor!"

"I didn't say anything like that, Connan." Carth blanched. Obi Wan sighed, standing.

"Hey, woo-hoo!" He waved at Connan. "I have something to say that you might not like."

"Just like the rest of today?" Connan rolled her eyes in dismay. "It can't get much worse. What is it?"

"It's…. Palpatine is still the Chancellor."

"WHAT?" Connan shrieked, throwing a mine toward a wall and pulling it back with the Force. She stormed outside, ranting at the top of her lungs.

"Uh-oh." Carth said, grabbing Connan's bag from the table and heading out. "She's throwing mines again. Not good."

"_Again_?" Obi Wan gawked, pointing at the front door. "You mean that raving lunatic throws _mines _when she's hot under the robe?"

"HOW COULD YOU LET HIM STAY THE CHANCELLOR FOR _TEN _YEARS! IS EVERYONE IN THE GALAXY AN IDIOT BUT ME?" She raved, pacing in a huge circle and throwing her arms into the air. She saw Obi Wan come out of the door and raced up to him. "That's six _years _longer than what it's supposed to be! Can you not count?"

"The Senate thought it would be a wise move to allow him to stay on for a while longer." Anakin informed, miffed. He folded his arms into his robes.

"No, a smart move would be waving good-bye to him as you kicked his Dark Side _ass _out of the Senate, and the Republic altogether." Connan corrected. "Did I not tell you to watch him? To check for any signs on him while I was gone?" She asked Obi Wan. "I don't know about you, but _this _seems like a little bit of a sign."

"He's a wise man who wanted to continue his service to the Republic through staying as the chancellor." Anakin protested.

"I agree with Connan on this one." Carth chimed in, holding a hand in the air.

"Thank you!" Connan yanked out her ponytail and gripped her hair, attempting to pull it out. "Anakin, most of the Chancellors want to stay on longer than the four year limit they're set to, but all of them know that if they stay on longer than four years, they start to get power-greedy and sometime—just sometimes—change is needed. A second term will tire people of your ways and want you out."

"But it was the _Senate's _idea to keep him in." Obi Wan said.

"But it was _Palpatine's _duty as a responsible Chancellor to decline." Carth answered.

"No one's tired of his ways, also." Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"That's what worries me." Connan rubbed her forehead.

"Look," Obi Wan sighed. "We didn't mean for this to get into an argument. As a matter of fact, there's a reason that we were assigned to you when you were found."

"Other than the fact that we found you." Anakin interjected. He became anxious, his brow breaking into a sweat. Connan blanched, now alarmed.

"Anakin… what's wrong?" She asked. "What's made you so nervous?"

"There's been an attempt… on Padmé's life." He told. Connan's legs buckled for an instant, making Carth grab a hold of her.

"What? Is she okay? What happened? Where is she? How do you know this?" Connan asked. "What are we doing here _arguing _about stupid things and not going to her?"

"Chancellor Palpatine has assigned us to protect Padmé. We were on our way out from Malastare when we picked up a huge Force wave surge across Tatooine, in the Dune Sea. We went to check it and found you and Carth straddled across the sand." Obi Wan explained.

"Tatooine?" Connan barked. "That's not right, we were still on Korriban."

"Well, then the _Byssual _can transport you to different places. Be thankful it was somewhere near us again." Connan rubbed her chin. That was more than coincidence. It _had _to be.

"So the Jedi Council said that you had to help us in protecting Padmé, since you know her as well as us." Anakin finished.

"Please, that line of idiots in fancy brown gowns can't tell me what to do." Connan crossed her arms and growled. "But I will help you two."

"You jump, I jump." Carth recited. "I'm in."

"Good." Obi Wan shook Carth's hand. "Padmé is in the Senate apartments."

"Oh, one more thing." Connan said. "When the Council has time, I'll need to contact someone again."

"You wish to talk to your own Council once more?" Obi Wan raised an eyebrow. Connan waved him off.

"Of course not. They don't give a care what I do anymore." She sputtered. "I want to talk to someone else."

"Who is it?" Anakin asked, moving in the direction of a tran to start their decent to Padmé's apartment. Connan and the others followed.

"I want to talk to my old master." She answered. Carth chocked.

"You don't mean—"

"Kreia."

-----

Alright, it's only seven pages. So sue me (please don't!) I'll update on time next Sunday (this Sunday I was sick, sorry people!) So please review!


	3. Protection

**Protection**

"Here, Connan." Anakin set a holovid in front of Connan. She stared at it, jolting from left to right as the tran they resided in made a harsh turn to the right. "This is a holovid of the last meeting of the Jedi Council and Chancellor Palpatine."

"Lovely," Connan snarled. Carth elbowed her.

"We'll take a look at it." He said, snatching the vid and turning it on.

"It should help explain some things about what's going on." Obi Wan remarked, crossing his arms and staring out the window. Connan stuck her tongue out at him, making a "Blegh!" sound.

"I'm not going to play games this decade, Connan." Obi Wan snapped. Connan chuckled.

"Good, that just means I get all the points."

"Connan!" Carth said. "Will you please pay attention to the vid?"

"Ugh, fine!" Connan set her eyes onto the playing holovid.

"**I don't know how much longer I can hold off the vote, my friends." **The Chancellor was saying.

"See?" Connan pointed. "That's the Chancellor!" She jabbed her finger through the vid, making static.

"Will you stop?" Carth caught her hand and set it down onto his knee. "I see him. Now listen."

"**More and more star systems are joining the separatists." **He finished.

"**If they do break away…." **Ki-Adi-Mundi was interrupted.

"**I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two." **Palpatine cut in.

"Well he seems like he has good intentions." Carth shrugged. Connan mocked him, mouthing his words in gibberish behind him.

"He's a politician."

"Good point."

"**My negotiations will _not _fail."**

"**If they do," **Windu said, crossing his fingers together and sitting back into his chair. The all-too-familiar Chancellor Office was laced from wall to wall with security and Jedi. **"You must realize that there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We're keepers of the peace, not soldiers."**

"What?" Connan stared at Obi Wan. "The Jedi have to protect the Republic by themselves?"

"That's stupid." Carth agreed.

"**Master Yoda," **The holovid continued. **"Do you think it will really come to war?"**

"It always comes to war, you imbecile!" Connan barked. "Trying to keep a Republic together which doesn't want to stay as such is just as stupid as trying to keep two gizka glued together. Sooner or later they're going to violently fall apart."

"**The Dark Side clouds everything." **Yoda said. **"Impossible to see, the future is."**

The holovid shut itself off and Anakin called it back into his hand.

"So the Republic is falling apart because a few systems want reform?" Connan asked.

"They're attacking the rest of the Republic." Obi Wan answered. "And the Senate is about to vote on a law that will allow the construction of a clone army."

"Clone army?" Carth and Connan said at once.

"Why waste all the money? Just enlist people into the army." Connan shrugged.

"There _is _no army." Anakin explained. "The Jedi have always protected the Republic from harm."

"Not in our day, Ani." Carth said. "In our day the Jedi assisted in wars where they were needed, and sometimes fought against their own kind in wars, but we had our own army."

"Good thing, too. Most of the time the Jedi would decide against fighting. The idiots." Connan crossed her arms and sighed.

"Padmé is trying to vote against the move to make an army." Anakin continued. "And for that someone is trying to kill her. We've been assigned to be her bodyguards."

"Does she know we're here?" Connan asked. Obi Wan sighed.

"Connan, _we _didn't even know you were there. You're lucky we were coming back from Ansion and flew over Tatooine. We likely would have never found you and you'd be stuck with Watto."

"Watto?" Carth asked. Connan shuddered.

"A Toydarian." She said. Carth cringed. Connan changed the subject. "Well, if we're going to get there, let's go! I can't wait to see Padmé again!"

-----

Anakin fiddled with his robes nervously inside the elevator, tugging at the collar and pulling at the ends. Connan pushed his hands down to his sides, chuckling at him.

"Calm down." She whispered, taking up his job at fixing his robes to the perfect effect. "It's not like you're going to your death sentence or anything. She won't care what you look like."

"How do you know that?" Anakin asked. Carth laughed.

"There's not a lot that Connan doesn't know." He answered, receiving an elbow in the ribs.

"He's right, though." She said, letting go of Ani. "Just relax."

After another minute Anakin was fidgeting with the robes again.

"You seem a little on edge," Obi Wan observed. Connan leaned into Carth, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Not at all," Anakin chuckled nervously. Connan stifled a laugh. It was obvious Anakin was love sick.

"I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks." Obi Wan reminisced. Anakin snorted.

"_You_ fell into that nightmare, Master, and I rescued you, remember?" He challenged. Obi Wan squinted, then gasped with realization.

"Oh, yes. Ha ha ha…" He chortled. Anakin wiped his brow.

"You're sweating." Obi Wan observed. Connan gasped.

"No! I thought he was—" Carth slapped a hand over her mouth to cease the sarcasm.

"Relax, take a deep breath." Obi Wan continued.

"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master." Anakin groaned. "Whereas Connan only hasn't seen her in a week."

"Don't drag me into _this_ argument, Ani." Connan said, pointing at him. "I'm four thousand years older than you are."

The elevator doors opened slowly, and a Gungan's face popped into view. Connan squealed, leaping backwards.

"Oh, it's just Jar Jar." She insisted, pushing Carth in front of her.

"What?" Carth was shocked. "You never put into your datapad that Jar Jar was a Gungan!"

"Well no one would have believed I spent almost eight months with a Gungan without at least taking a crack at him a few times so I thought it might be a little smart to leave out that fact. Besides, how did I know the chances of coming back were so great?" She answered, still pushing Carth in front of her.

"Obi?" Jar Jar asked, spreading his arms out for balance. "Obi!" The Gungan grabbed Obi Wan's hand and shook it vigorously. "Mesa so smilen to seein yousa!"

"Good to see you again, Jar Jar." Obi Wan said. "And let me reintroduce Connan Frai." Obi Wan, with a laughing sneer on his face, held a hand to Connan.

"Oh, no!" Connan hissed. "I thought you didn't want to play that game this decade!"

"Yeah, but then I got to thinking." Obi Wan shrugged. "I didn't want you to get _all _the points."

"Connan!" Jar Jar picked up Connan and spun her around. "Mesa no seein yousa in longo time!"

"Hiya, Jar Jar," Connan said, the false enthusiasm dripping from her voice. "This is Carth. He came with me this time."

"Heyo-dales!" Jar Jar waved. "Senator Padmé." Jar Jar led them into another room with two couches facing each other, a coffa table in between them, and a huge window at one side. Padmé stood next to the window with her pilot and her handmaiden.

"Mesa palo's here! Lookie, lookie, Senator." He pointed to Anakin as Padmé turned around. Her extravagant dress flowed down to the ground; a dark blue with golden lace around it. Her hair was tied up over her head. She had definitely grown since the first time Connan had seen her, and now she was a Senator instead of Queen. "Desa Jedi arriven." Padmé smiled warmly, coming to the door to meet the Jedi.

"It's a great pleasure to see you again, My Lady," Obi Wan said while bowing.

"It has been far too long, Master Kenobi." Padmé shook his hand before looking to the others in the troupe. She laid her eyes on Anakin, who stood behind Obi Wan. "Ani? My goodness you've grown."

"So have you," Anakin stepped up to meet Padmé, his voice shaking as much as he was. "Grown more beautiful, I mean. F-for a Senator, I mean."

Connan giggled fitfully, laying one hand across her mouth to keep quiet and another one on Carth's huge hand, which sat on her shoulder.

Padmé snorted politely, shaking her head and smiling. "Ani, you'll always be the boy I knew on Tatooine."

"Ooh, that was a rough one." Carth whispered into Connan's ear. She nodded.

"I'm going to have to have a talk with them." She concurred.

"Who—" Padmé had noticed Connan now, standing to the side of the space and trying to act inconspicuous. "Is that…. It can't be. Connan?"

"Among other names." Connan shrugged. Padmé squealed, wrapping her arms around Connan's neck.

"You haven't changed a bit!" She retorted.

"And you've changed so much." Connan pulled away. "You've grown a lot! And look at you; a Senator. You should be very proud of yourself." Connan pulled Carth out from behind her. "This is Carth Onasi, Senator Padmé."

"It's always a pleasure to meet Connan's friends." Carth said coolly, bowing.

"Please, stop with the Senator stuff." Padmé waved a hand through the air. "So _this _is the infamous Carth? Connan could never stop talking about you while she was with us." Padmé told, making Connan blush. She walked away, her handmaiden following, to sit on one of the two couches in the middle of the room. Connan and the others followed.

"Our presence here will be invisible, Milady, I can assure you." Obi Wan said as he sat.

"I'm captain Typho of her Majesty's secret service. Queen Jamillia has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you're here, Master Kenobi." Said the pilot, who Connan now noted had a patch over his eye. "The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

"I don't need more security, I need answers." Padmé countered. "I want to know who's trying to kill me."

"We're here to protect you Senator, not start an investigation." Obi Wan pressed.

"We will find out who's trying to kill you, Padmé." Anakin opened his mouth, making Connan cringe. He's said the wrong thing at the worst time. Even Carth winced a little. They saw the dark look that crossed Obi Wan's face at his Padawan's disobedience. "I promise you."

"We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner." Obi Wan hissed.

"I meant that in the interest of protecting her, Master." Anakin explained. Connan rolled her eyes inwardly. This was exactly the kind of thing that spun Obi Wan right up.

"We will not go through his exercise again, Anakin." Obi Wan ordered. "And you will pay attention to my lead."

"Why?"

_Oh man, _the voice in Connan screamed. _This went from bad to worse in a matter of picoseconds._

"What?" Obi Wan asked.

"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer?" Anakin explained himself quickly. "Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi.

"It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

"We will do exactly as the Council has instructed," Obi Wan insisted. "And you will learn your place, young one."

"Easy, Obi Wan." Connan whispered. She leaned to Anakin and began whispering quietly to him. "Listen, Ani. Your job may be to do exactly what the Council says, but who ever told me to do anything? I came here by choice and therefore can do whatever the hell I want. You two focus solely on protecting her, and Carth and I will investigate. We'll even tell you every speck of evidence we find."

"Thank you, Connan." Anakin whispered back. Padmé continued with her discussion.

"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed." She finished. "Now, if you'll excuse me…I will retire." As Padmé stood up, the others stood with her. She and her handmaiden left. Captain Typho immediately began talking.

"I know I'll feel better with you here." He said. "I'll have an officer stationed on every floor, and I'll be in the control center downstairs."

"What kind of camera security do you people have here?" Connan asked.

"We use sensors, not cameras." Typho answered.

"Not good. You need cameras. Sensors only sweep every ten seconds, and then only picks up things that move." Carth backed Connan up.

"Ten seconds is more than enough time to catch something." Typho countered.

"Not if the killer uses a type of thieval worm." Connan said.

"A what?" Typho stopped walking, staring at Connan with skepticism.

"A thieval worm." Connan repeated. "They're worms that are very, very, _very _poisonous and will sting anything alive in the room. They can get past sensors if they know they're there."

"How could it know a sensor was there? It's just a worm." Typho shrugged.

"You think I'm dumb? I know what I'm talking about!" Connan shouted. "I used them all the time when assassinating—well, I used them. They _understand _Galactic Basic. If you tell them that there's a sensor in the room, they'll avoid it. They're smart creatures."

"Do you think that our killer would really use them?" Typho asked, now worried. Connan shrugged.

"Hey, I don't even know if the things still exist." She turned on her heels. "Just thought I'd let you know there are ways past sensors." Connan turned to see Jar Jar talking with Anakin.

"Mesa busten wit happiness seein yousa again, Ani." The Gungan said. Anakin watched wistfully as Padmé turned to corner to her room.

"She hardly even recognized me, Jar Jar." Anakin pouted. "I've thought about her everyday since we've parted, and… she's forgotten me completely."

"Shesa happy." Jar Jar suggested. "Happier den mesa seein her in a longo time."

"You're focusing on the negative, Ani. Be mindful of your thoughts." Obi Wan warned.

"But she _was _pleased to see you." Connan nudged Anakin with her elbow.

"Now, let's check the security." Obi Wan said, wandering off. Connan stormed off after him, Carth trailing behind.

"I keep telling you people that sensors aren't enough!"

-----

Connan sat with her legs crossed on the couch, leaning onto Carth, who sat with his back against the arm of the soft sofa. His arms wrapped around Connan lazily, holding her in place. She wasn't going anywhere away from him for a while. His face pressed into her hair, taking in the smell of freshly picked fruits off of Naboo. Connan sighed leisurely, moving around her legs to better comfort herself. Carth adjusted to her, even though he'd just made himself more uncomfortable than usual. It didn't matter about _his _comfort; as long as Connan was alright. He'd nearly lost her about a week ago, and he still wasn't going to let the fact that he was helpless in the moment it happened go.

"Captain Typho has more than enough men downstairs; no assassin would try that way." Obi Wan entered the room. "Any activity up here?"

"Quiet as a tomb," Connan listlessly answered. Carth nodded.

"I don't like just waiting here for something to happen to her." Anakin confessed. Obi Wan's controlpad beeped as he checked it.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"She covered the cameras." Carth answered. "Girl's got spunk."

"I don't think she liked me watching her." Anakin agreed.

"What is she thinking?" Obi Wan asked, sighing.

"Like any girl would. We like our privacy." Connan called. Obi Wan groaned.

"Even if it puts you in danger?"

"I'd rather be in danger while I slept than change clothes in front of a camera."

"Don't worry," Carth started.

"She's programmed R2 to warn us of an intruder." Anakin finished.

"There's the problem though." Connan said. "He uses a sensor."

"And there is more than one way to kill a Senator." Obi Wan concurred.

"I know, but we also want to catch the assassin, don't we?" Anakin suggested. Obi Wan groaned in comprehension.

"You're using her as bait."

"It was her idea." Anakin pouted once more. "Although I think Connan suggested it to her." Connan chuckled.

"I might have." She sank deeper into Carth, who simply took a tighter wrap around her. "Don't worry; I can feel everything that's going on in that room. Worse case scenario I'll have a hard time getting myself off of this couch." Carth laughed.

"As do I," Anakin thought aloud.

"It's too risky." Obi Wan countered. "Besides, your senses aren't that attuned, my young apprentice."

"And mine aren't?" Connan asked. "Trust me, she'll be fine. Have a little faith in Anakin."

"And yours _are _attuned, Master?" Anakin asked. Obi Wan took his time turning to Anakin to answer.

"Possibly."

Connan and the others stayed silent for a time while nothing happened. She stayed warmly tucked into Carth while he nuzzled his nose to the back of her ear. He knew it tickled her whenever he did that. She giggled, moving her head so he couldn't reach that ear. Instantly, he'd start nibbling on her other ear. There was no way Connan could win. She'd just keep moving her head from side to side, opening up another way for Carth to get in.

Their game was interrupted as Obi Wan remarked to Anakin, who was standing outside on the balcony.

"You look tired."

"I don't sleep well anymore." Anakin admitted.

"Because of you mother?" Obi Wan guessed. Connan's ears perked and Carth raised an eyebrow at Connan's sudden interest.

"I don't know why I keep dreaming about her," Anakin continued.

"Dreams pass in time," Obi Wan consoled.

"I'd much rather dream about Padmé." Anakin said. "Just being around her again is… intoxicating."

"Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you." Obi Wan answered. "You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken." Obi Wan smiled.

"And don't forget, she a politician, and they're not to be trusted."

"She's not like the others in the Senate, Master." Anakin defended her.

"There's something coming," Connan remarked lazily. Carth nodded, helping her sit up from the awkward yet comfortable position they resided in. Obi Wan and Anakin ignored her.

"It's in my experience that Senators focus only on those who fund their campaigns. And they're in no means scared of forgetting the niceties of democracy in order to get those funds."

"Oh, not another lecture," Anakin groaned. "At least not on the economics of politics."

"No, seriously. Something's coming." Connan interjected. They ignored her again.

Connan sighed ass the argument went on between the two as she remained blissfully ignored.

"And besides, you're generalizing." Anakin countered. "The chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt."

"Okay, why does that concept keep creeping into conversation?" Connan was still ignored.

"Palpatine is a politician. I have observed that he is very clever…." Connan groaned loudly, storming over to Padmé's door and pressing the button. Nothing. She must have bolted it shut.

"Connan," Carth called.

"Get a blaster." She said to him.

"Hey—" Anakin paled.

"I sense it too." Obi Wan said. Connan held her hand to the door. It forced itself open, coming off of its hinges. She sprang onto the bed, bringing out her lightsaber. She hit one of the worms, next to her head. Anakin sliced through the one beside her leg. Padmé bolted awake, staring at Connan, who resheathed her lightsaber.

"Thieval worms." She observed. "I hate it when I'm right."

Obi Wan bolted to the window and crashed through it, grabbing a hold the droid which had administered the worms into the room. Connan paled.

"Force, that takes guts!" She called. "Ani, Carth, we need to follow. Head to a speeder."

-----

**Since this next part take way too long I was thinking of skipping it, as I did with the pod race. But since it's an essential part I decided to put it in anyway. And besides, it's going to be one of my favorite parts. This one and the one where they're to be executed will be the best chapters in this story. n.n Thanks for reading, and please review!**

**Oh, and by the by, I'm…. wow, only 14 minutes and 25 seconds through it. Wish me luck next week!**


	4. Chase

**Chase**

"Come on, Carth!" Connan barked. She flew down the stairs, Anakin sharp on her heels. Carth came only a few steps behind.

"I'm coming, Connan." Carth hissed, doubling his efforts to catch up with the two alarmed Jedi. They bolted through the doors of the garage and jumped into a speeder.

"Get in here!" Connan called, starting up the engine. Anakin sat in the passenger seat while Carth jumped into the rear seats. She backed up the speeder with some trouble and bolted out of the garage.

"What are you doing, Connan? Driving like that! You'll kill all of us!" Carth yelled.

"These speeders are different than the ones from our time, thank you very much!" Connan retaliated.

"Then let me drive." Anakin said, holding out his hands. Connan shrugged, pushing the controls over to his side of the speeder. He took the controls and steadied the rocking speeder. "Now, where is he?"

"He's over there!" Carth answered, pointing below him. Obi Wan crashed into a wall, still hanging onto the droid which attempted to kill Padmé.

"Follow it!" Connan called. Anakin raced after the robot.

"Wait, I can't do that, it's going into oncoming traffic." Anakin stated, pulling downward. "I'll follow him from below."

"Great, so we can get Obi Wan fluids washed over the speeder when he hits another speeder." Connan hissed.

"Or if he's smart he'll let go so we can catch him." Carth countered. Connan chuckled unenthusiastically.

"No, he _thinks _he's smart so he'll keep his hold on the droid until it returns to its master like all assassin droids do." She said. "And it's going to get him killed."

"Stop being so pessimistic!" Carth demanded.

"Me…pessimistic? I think _not_! I'm stating reality!" Connan argued.

"I don't care if you're stating the obvious; let's just focus on getting him off of the droid _alive_." Anakin ordered. Connan shrugged.

"Alright, I'm cool with that." Carth growled out of annoyance.

"If you aren't the most egotistical, mood-changing—"

"Soft-hearted, most beautiful woman in the galaxy?" Connan finished. Carth laughed.

"Yeah, right." He flicked her nose.

"Well I'm glad you two are making conversation instead of looking for Obi Wan." Anakin droned.

"Nonsense, we know where he is." Connan said. "He's right there." She pointed up. Sparks flew from the droid Obi Wan held tightly to as it exploded into pieces. Obi Wan began falling. "Ooh, just in time."

Anakin pushed down on the controls, taking the speeder into a nose-dive as it tried to catch Obi Wan. Connan laughed in enjoyment, while Carth hissed to himself.

"Carth doesn't like flying speeders." Connan informed, pushing around the buttons on the speeder so they'd fall quicker than Obi Wan.

"Do you think maybe he's related to Master Obi Wan?" Anakin asked, beaming. He straightened the speeder underneath Obi Wan as the man plopped into the end. He grabbed a hold of the back seat with one hand and Carth's hand with the other. He climbed into the last vacant seat, sighing.

"What took you so long?" He asked, annoyed.

"Oh, well, you know Master," Anakin started. "I couldn't find a speeder I really liked."

"There he is." Obi Wan interjected, pointing to a green speeder. "That's the assassin."

"With the open cockpit," Anakin stated.

"And the right speed capabilities." Connan added. Anakin laughed.

"It had to have the backseat so Carth and Connan could come, too." He joined.

"And I didn't really like that green-colored one." Connan made a face. Anakin nodded in agreement.

"If you spent as much time practicing your saber techniques as you do your wit you would rival Master Yoda as a swordsman." Obi Wan cringed as Connan flipped on another speed switch, jolting the speeder even faster.

"I thought I already did." Anakin jested.

"Only in your mind, my very young apprentice." Obi Wan turned on Connan as Carth began scolding her.

"And _you_." Carth pointed at her. "Stop encouraging such behavior."

"But _why_? _I _can rival Master Yoda as a swordswoman already, and he's had ten years of additional practice!" Connan whined playfully.

"You just can't take anything seriously, can you Connan?" Obi Wan asked.

"Only in my mind, my very old Master." Connan beamed. Obi Wan laughed drolly.

"Touché."

The assassin drove into oncoming traffic, getting close enough to almost hit the other speeders then dashing away. Anakin swiftly avoided all crashes.

"Can I drive now?" Connan asked. "I get he gist of it now that I've seen someone do it." Anakin shrugged, sliding the controls back over the Connan.

"What? You're letting her drive? Do you know what she's capable of in these things?" Obi Wan asked, mortified. "Can you _say _Airspace Rage?"

"Airspace Rage!" Connan mimicked, flipping off another driver. "Hey, schutta, I'm trying to catch someone here! Get out of the way before I Force Push you!"

"Oh, dear." Obi Wan rubbed his eyes.

"What's wrong, Obi Wan?" Connan asked, worried.

"Oh, nothing, just the sense of impending doom."

The assassin nose-dived. Connan pushed down the controls, following the assassin.

Connan squinted, dodging a large speeder from rear-ending them as they raced downward. Carth's anxiety grew with Obi Wan's trying to spread to Anakin and Connan. They laughed it off, shooting faster toward the ground.

A large, blue freight speeder covered up the assassin's speeder as it towered below them. She didn't pull up on the controls.

"Pull up, Connan. Pull up!" Obi Wan pleaded. Anakin laughed with glee, checking back to see Carth and Obi Wan gripping their seats with white knuckles.

Connan jerked on the controls, yanking the speeder up at the last second before it hit the freight speeder. It wobbled for a second as she regained her thoughts and took off again.

"Anakin, you know I don't like it when you do that," Obi Wan said. Carth seconded him.

"Sorry, guys." Connan said.

"I forgot you don't like flying." Anakin admitted.

"I don't mind flying but what _you're _doing is suicide!" Carth growled, tensing as Connan flipped around an unsuspecting speeder.

The assassin led Connan through the foundations of the buildings on Coruscant, trying to get her to crash on one of the many wirings and hooks lying about. Connan glided around all of them.

"Ummm, Connan!" Carth called. "That's a power coupling up ahead."

"I know."

"You _do _know that—"

"I know, Carth."

"But you're going to—" Connan whirled around on him, letting go of the controls. Carth tensed once more, cringing.

"Look Carth, do you want to drive? I'll let you if you want."

"No, that's okay." Carth admitted. Connan nodded, spinning back around to seat herself into her spot.

The assassin shot at the power coupling, turning it on right as he flew safely through them.

"Anakin!" Obi Wan screamed. "How many times have I told you to—Ahh!" He cried out as Connan smashed into the coupling, shocking all of them.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Connan and Anakin muttered, shutting their eyes.

"—Stay away from power couplings!"

"That was good!" Obi Wan said as they were released.

"Ooh, I'm tired of driving." She said, sliding the control panel back to Anakin. "You take over for a while."

"Yes, ma'am." Anakin smiled, gripping the panel and spiraling toward the assassin.

The assassin took a left into a tunnel seconds before Anakin went straight. Puzzled, Obi Wan looked back at the tunnel they needed.

"Where are you going? He went in there!" He called.

"Master if we keep this chase going any longer that creep is going to end up deep-fried." Anakin answered.

"And I'm guessing Anakin wants to know who he is and who he's working for." Connan finished. Anakin nodded.

"This is a shortcut." He decided. "I think."

Anakin stopped a ways off, staring around. There was no assassin. Connan frowned, perplexed. There was something everyone was missing; she just couldn't put her finger on it. The way the roads were rationed, the tunnel should have ended up here. But there was nothing.

"Well, you've lose him." Obi Wan scolded. Anakin sighed, sitting back.

"I'm deeply sorry Master." He said. Connan looked around, stopping as she looked down. She grinned.

"That was some shortcut, Anakin." Obi Wan started to lecture. Connan hissed.

"Ani!" She whispered. He glanced at her. She pointed down. He looked beneath their speeder, grinning as he did. He nodded at her.

"He went completely the other way." Obi Wan continued.

"What are you planning, Connan?" Carth asked, noting her interest in the bottom of the planet.

"One, two, three." Connan counted. She and Anakin stood up in the speeder, jumping over the sides.

"If you'll excuse us, Master." Anakin promptly said to Obi Wan. Carth paled, watching as the two Jedi fell evenly toward the ground. He growled.

"I hate it when she does that." He said, just as Obi Wan came out with his own statement.

"I hate it when he does that." The two stared at each other in understanding, got into the front seats, and drove off after the two.

-----

"Right…. Here!" Connan called, grabbing onto the yellow-green speeder that passed by. Anakin held on as well, grunting as he stopped falling. "Made it! Good boy, Ani."

"Learned from the best," He managed, still dazed from the drop.

"Let's get to the cockpit." Connan pulled herself up to the glass of the speeder. The assassin accelerated, catching Connan and Anakin off guard. They plunged forward unexpectedly. Connan and Anakin grabbed at the front of the speeder, holding on for dear life. The assassin shot at them, missing. He accelerated again, pulling Connan straight onto the cockpit with Anakin on the other side. She peered in at the assassin.

It was a female, Connan thought at first. She squinted at it peculiarly as it turned its head to glare at Anakin. One side of the face was different than the other. The side facing Anakin was the face of a female, and the other side looked like a Toydarian mixed with a Hutt.

"It's a female Changeling!" She called to Anakin. He nodded.

Anakin pulled out his lightsaber, bursting through the glass of the cockpit easily. The Changeling fired her blaster as him. He dropped his lightsaber, watching it fly through the air. Connan reached her hand into the cockpit and grabbed the assassin's wrist. The assassin grunted, flailing around in a desperate attempt to get Connan to let go. The assassin fired off a shot from her blaster, hitting the controls in the cockpit. Connan retracted her hand, pulling an arm over Anakin.

"Hold on tight, it's coming down!" She called to him, anchoring herself down as tightly as possible. The speeder dropped close to the ground, dipping one side to the pavement. Sparks flew as Anakin and Connan dropped to the ground.

"Oof!" Connan groaned, standing up. She helped Anakin stand on his feet as the Changeling got out of her banged-up speeder. Anakin bolted after her, Connan sprinting behind him.

Connan pushed through the crowds, her annoyance multiplying as people wouldn't move out of her way to get to the assassin. She shoved people aside into other people moments before having to push someone else. She watched as the assassin ran into a club.

"She's in there." Connan pointed out to Anakin, who was just as frustrated as she was. He nodded, heading for the door.

"Anakin!" Obi Wan's voice stopped the both of them. He and Carth ran up to the two Jedi. Carth seemed a little angry.

"Connan, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Carth scolded, grabbing her hand. "Could you at least _warn _me before you do something like that again?"

"I suppose I'll have to." She shrugged, embracing him. "I don't want you having too many heart attacks and hacking off before I'm through with you."

"And when will that be?" Carth asked, fighting to keep a smiling from playing at the sides of his mouth. Connan fingered his lips gingerly.

"Never." She answered, kissing his cheek before turning her attention back to Anakin and Obi Wan.

"She went into the club, Master." Anakin informed.

"Patience." Obi Wan cautioned. "Use the Force. Think."

"Sorry, Master," Anakin seemed impatient.

"He went in there to hide, not to run, Ani." Connan told.

"She's right." Obi Wan admitted.

"Yes, Master." Obi Wan held up Anakin's lightsaber.

"Next time try not to lose it." He said, giving it back to the boy.

"Yes, Master."

"This weapon is your life." Obi Wan lectured.

"I try, Master." Anakin followed Obi Wan into the club. Connan, with Carth's arms slung around her shoulders, followed.

"And you, Connan." Obi Wan pointed at the woman as they walked. "Should not stand around with someone's arms around your shoulders like that." Connan scrunched up her face, smirking.

"Yes, Master." She mocked. Carth pulled his arms away from Connan and they walked correctly.

"Anakin, why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" Obi Wan groaned.

"Don't say that, Master, you're the closest thing I have to a father." Anakin stated.

"Then why don't you listen to me?" Obi Wan asked.

"Do you even _remember _your father?" Connan asked. "Since when has _anyone _in their teenage years listened to their father?"

Obi Wan ignored her, looking around the club for any sign of the assassin.

"Can you see him?" He asked.

"Obi, I think he's a she." Connan held a finger in the air.

"And I think she's a Changeling." Anakin finished.

"In that case, be extra careful." Obi Wan announced. "Go and look for her Anakin."

"And where are you going?" Anakin asked. Connan answered.

"For a drink."

Connan walked around, sensing the area for the Changeling. She shrugged, sitting with Carth and Obi Wan at the bar.

"Thank you." Obi Wan said as the bartender laid out three drinks. He handed one to Carth and one to Connan, taking the other in his hand. He sipped at it nonchalantly.

"Hey," Said a man next to Connan. Out of his greasy black hair stuck these two Rodian-like antennae. "You wanna buy some death sticks?"

Connan waved her hand in the air impatiently. "You don't want to sell me any death sticks."

"Ehh…. I don't want to sell you any death sticks." The man retracted his question. Obi Wan waved his hand.

"You want to go home and rethink your life."

"Well, I'm going to go home and rethink my life." The man ran off. Connan burst out laughing.

"That was brilliant, Obi Wan!" Connan slapped the table. Carth chuckled. "You get points."

"Yes, well, just drink and act like we're just trying to unwind." Obi Wan said.

"Hello, we're in a club. The Bith word for 'club' is 'unwind'!" Connan exclaimed. "Eh, not really. And she's right behind you." Connan pulled out her saber, raking it across the female's arm. The assassin grunted, falling to the floor. The noise in the club ceased, and everyone watched as Obi Wan and Anakin picked up the Changeling.

"Easy. Jedi business, go back to your drinks." He ordered. The talking resumed.

-----

Outside in the dark, night streets of Coruscant, Obi Wan and Anakin laid down the Changeling.

"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" Obi Wan asked.

"It was a Senator from Naboo." The Changeling's answer made Connan angry. She knew she was trying to kill Padmé.

"And who hired you?" She snapped.

"It was just a job…." The woman pleaded. Anakin knelt close to the woman's face.

"Who hired you? Tell us." He waited for a minute. No answer. "Tell us now!"

"It was a bounty hunter called—" A dart inserted itself into the Changeling's neck. Connan looked up at the angle it came from. A man with a jet pack bolted from the scene from a rooftop not far away.

The Changeling was disintegrating, her skin tightening and her bones becoming very apparent as she tried to speak her last words.

"Wee shahnit…. Sleemo…." The Changeling dropped dead. Obi Wan pulled out the dart from her neck and inspected it.

"A Toxic Dart." He stated. Anakin glanced from Obi Wan to Connan, whose face paled.

"Connan," He started. "What did she say?"

Connan shook her head, laughing feebly.

"Not very nice things about the man that shot her. Apparently that was her boss."

"She's dead, Anakin." Carth told the boy. He was checking for a pulse. "There's nothing more we can get out of her."

"Well, what now then?" He asked.

"Now?" Obi Wan repeated. "Now we go back to the Council."

-----

**Eleven pages! I know, it's not my best lengthy chapter, but eleven pages in three and a half hours is saying something. Lol. Anyway, please review and thanks for reading.**

**I'm on chapter nine and I'm 00:24:54 minutes through. Good for me. n.n**


	5. Kreia

**Kreia**

_How did this happen? _Connan asked herself, standing in between Carth and Anakin in front of the Jedi Council. _Why did I let my self come back here? I'm not very smart for an all-powerful half-Jedi._ She crossed her arms, pursing her lips.

"Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi Wan." Yoda said to Obi Wan, who stood next to Anakin. Connan sighed dejectedly. Apparently the Jedi Council was _not _happy to see her, and even _less _happy that she'd brought along a friend. When she walked through the door they'd frowned. The disapproving look-of-death furrowed deeper as Carth trailed in behind Connan.

"_I'm overjoyed to see all of you, too." _Connan had said. Windu sighed, shaking his head hopelessly. They ignored Connan, much to her appreciation, and focused on Anakin and Obi Wan.

"Most importantly," Windu added to Yoda's last comment, making Connan's skin crawl. "Find out who he's working for."

"Uh, hello?" Connan asked, waving a hand in the air. "What about Padmé? The freak with the jet pack is _still _going to be out to get her."

"Connan," Carth whispered. "Show some respect."

"The day Yoda's exiled!" She whispered back, grinning. A chill ran up her spine.

"Handle that, Obi Wan's Padawan will." Yoda answered, ignoring the insults exchanged in hushed voices in front of him.

"Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo." Windu instructed. "She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees."

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital." Anakin explained. Connan waved a hand through the air.

"You just leave that to me." She winked.

"Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect." Yoda interjected. Connan frowned.

"Anakin, go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her about the matter." Windu instructed.

"Seriously, did no one just hear me say that I can talk to her?" Connan asked loudly.

"Heard you, we did." Yoda explained. "Still, think it is better for the Chancellor to handle it, we do."

"The only thing I want this Chancellor to handle is a noose and a gallows." Connan grumbled. Carth elbowed her in the ribs.

Anakin and Obi Wan bowed, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Connan spoke up. "What about us?"

"What about you?" Windu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You can't just expect us to stay here and do _nothing_! Padmé's my friend too." Connan snapped. "We were dragged back here for a reason, smart people. The _Byssual _didn't decide on second helping of the same person just because it liked what I tasted like."

The Council exchanged glances. Finally, Ki-Adi-Mundi sighed.

"I suppose, since that you two are here…." He shrugged.

"Go with Anakin and assist him in protecting Padmé." Windu finished. "This is the boy's first mission by himself, and he will need a guide he feels comfortable with."

"So we're going to Naboo again?" Connan asked. She paused for a minute. "We're not going to have to negotiate with Gungans anymore, are we?" Carth chuckled.

"No, no Gungans." Windu admitted.

"Good. We're for it." Connan nodded.

"Ehh… Connan?" Obi Wan interrupted. "Didn't you say something a while ago about getting into touch with one of your former masters?"

"Oh, yes, I did." Connan remembered. "I wanted to speak with my first master, Kreia."

"If you are speaking of Darth Traya, the Sith who almost destroyed the Force, we will not summon her for you." Ki-Adi-Mundi growled.

"If I meant _Traya_, I would have said _Traya. _But I _said _Kreia. They're two different concepts, Key-Ahdi-Moondey." Connan strained on the name, struggling to perfect it. "Traya wanted to destroy the Force, Kreia wanted to use Donella to save the Force by using Traya's hatred."

"We can't do it as of now, Connan." Windu said. "But once you return we could—"

"Well you'd better try. I'm not going to wait like I did last time. I'd like to talk to her now. It's just one person, so it should be a lot easier." Connan crossed her arms. Yoda sighed.

"Summon her, we will." He resigned. "Obi Wan and Anakin, please leave." With worried glances, Anakin and Obi Wan scuttled outside, waiting by the doors.

The Council members all stood, except for Yoda, who stayed in his cross-legged position. When the members left, Yoda closed his eyes and grunted.

An outline appeared in front of Connan and Carth, who had leaned closer into Connan nervously. Kreia's face shone through the apparition, a knowing smirk on her face.

"My, my, my, dear one." The voice echoed. "What trouble have you gotten into now?"

"Why is it that every time I come to you, you think I'm in trouble?" Connan groaned, throwing her hands into the air. "What if I just wanted to talk with you face to—uh… apparition?" Kreia chuckled.

"Because if that were the case you would have summoned me yourself. Instead you have the little green gizka do it." For a moment, the vision flickered. Kreia returned, a scowl on her face. "Even Jedi in _this _era cannot take simple humor."

"So you know I'm in a different time, then." Connan said, crossing her arms.

"Dear one, when one is a part of the Force one can tell what time they are summoned to." Kreia mused. "Don't tell me you've forgotten _all _of your teachings."

"I've not forgotten any of them, thank you very much." Connan pouted. "I just wanted to make sure."

"What I don't understand, young one, is why you would call me here when you've already spoken to a host of people about this topic already. And in front of Carth no doubt. Hello, there." Kreia nodded to Carth, acknowledging him.

"Good day." Carth stiffly replied.

"I called you here because you're the only one who will give me the straight and narrow instead of letting me make my own mistakes. Mistakes are one thing I don't need now." Connan took a breath and continued, brushing her hair behind her head hurriedly. "I want to know why that thing came back for me."

"If you had wanted to know that, you should have asked for Traya. She's on the Other Side, not me." Kreia's face flickered to Carth, who had raised an eyebrow in confusion. She shrugged. "When someone dies, they become one with the Force. So they go to the Side they spent most of their life on."

"No, I understand that," Carth held up a hand. "But I thought _you _were Traya." Connan shook her head.

"Nope. It's sort of like me, Carth." She nudged him lovingly. "Except, she didn't get her memory stripped of her because she was 'trying to take over the galaxy'."

"So why don't you tell me what happened?" Carth asked.

"Dear boy, I went to help the dear one on her quest to save the Republic. I got caught trying to convert a world to the Sith so we could assassinate Senator Triffel, because he wanted to down-size to armies to save money. I got taken back to the Jedi Council and they snatched the Force from me. Dear Revan helped me get a place to live on the planet of Sajor. One part of me became very angry and openly plotted to destroy the Force so there could be no more Jedi. By the time I realized this part of me, Revan came to my planet, calling herself Connan and thinking she'd lived a life of nothing but machines. So I plotted that when she came to realization that she was Revan, we would use the part of me—which I'd named Darth Traya after my codename in the Sith ranks—to lure out the exile and have her destroy the evil part of me."

"That seems a little extreme for schizophrenia." Carth rubbed his chin.

"There's more to it, but that's the gist of it." Connan answered. "Now will you answer my question?"

"Well, think. Why did it come last time?" Kreia asked.

"Probably Darth Sidious." Connan shrugged. "Darth Maul couldn't have done it. He wasn't powerful enough. But I want to know _why _he did it, not _who _did it."

"Did he say anything to you last time you came?" Kreia asked, crossing her arms. Connan nodded.

"He said something about bringing Revan back, the idiot." Connan spat the words vilely. "Why doesn't anyone here believe that I did it for the Republic?"

"Chronicles can be mistaken, Revan." Kreia said calmly. "So obviously this Darth wanted to use Revan's power to overthrow the Republic."

"Whoever Darth Sidious is, he's gotten in deep with the Republic. Maybe he's one of the Senators." Connan said.

"We'll need the names and background checks on all the Senators." Carth replied.

"That will take time." Kreia warned. "You don't have time."

"I had eight months last time." Connan answered.

"But who knows how much time you have this time?" Kreia advised.

"So what would _you _do, Kree?" Kreia's lips pursed at the old nickname, but she shrugged.

"I'd put myself out as bait. Act like I was going to fall for power and when he uncovers himself, strike at him."

"Absolutely not."

It was Carth that had replied, this time. His eyes hardened and his fists clenched together stubbornly. "Not gonna happen. Pick another way."

"Why not that one, hon?" Connan asked, nudging him. "I think it's pretty good. Then we can get this guy out in the open and stop him."

"Have you forgotten the last time you dabbled in feigning the Dark Side? Your ship got blown up and so did half of your memory." Carth said sternly. "Besides, what if he suspects something like a trap? You'd have to steep deeper into the charade and ultimately get yourself in even more trouble than you started in."

"Then we'll just find another way." Connan shrugged. "I can't give Carth too many anxiety attacks in a month; he'll keel over on me."

Carth sighed, relieved that he didn't have to argue with her about it.

"Besides," Connan added. "I want to know another thing about that _Byssual_. Why did my lightsaber hurt it when my blasters had no such luck?"

"An interesting question." Kreia rubbed her chin. "It will take me time to find that one out."

"I thought I didn't have time." Connan sneered. Kreia frowned.

"You don't. _I _do. I will discover what the answer is and inform Donella Segora of the situation. You must go to her when you return and get the answer."

"What is it with Masters and making me _wait_?" Connan shrieked. "Why can't you just come back here and tell me?"

"It's not that easy, dear one." Kreia said. "You would have to be near a Council member who can summon me, and they'll have to know _when _to summon me, because you'll drain what little energy they have already. You don't have to know how to hurt a _Byssual _to get back to your time. You should focus on staying with that boy you're so intent on protecting and finding out Darth Sidious."

"You're no fun." Connan pouted. "You could at least give me something to do. We're going to be on Naboo for a few weeks with Padmé and Anakin anyway."

"Isn't that Jedi Princess you hang out with from Naboo?" Kreia inquired.

"Well, yes." Connan cocked an eyebrow. "But what's that got to do with it?"

"You could spend a little time—if you're going to be bored—trying to find out what happens with her." Kreia suggested. "I know you're not too intent on seeing anything involving anyone from your time, but sort of a last resort thing." She chuckled at Connan's instantly pissed-off look. "Or, if not that, you could also make up ditty little nothings on your tin flute. You never _stopped _using that thing when I was your Master. It's a wonder you learned anything."

"Heh." Connan laughed. "You say that to the most powerful Jedi in two eras." Connan blinked as another idea came into her head. "Hey, how am I supposed to find Donella again? She and Atton took off after we came back from the Unknown Regions."

"You'll find her in the Jek'Jek Tar on Nar Shadaa twelve days after you return." Kreia said.

"What's she doing in that place?" Carth asked, alarmed.

"Strangely enough, looking for you." Kreia answered. Connan tilted her head to the side. "She will explain it to you."

"Alright," Connan said dejectedly. "I suppose I can deal with that."

"Good." Kreia nodded. "Because I must leave. The small, green toad is losing energy." Once again she flickered. When she returned this time, her face scowled. "You simply _must _introduce even the most common of tricks to these people. They're as bland and as tasteless as Sajorian bread."

"Bye to you, too, Kree." Connan waved as the apparition disappeared.

"Well that wasn't nearly as disappointing as the last summon," She commented as Yoda stood. He sighed, brushing off his robes.

"Now that you've had you say, go to Naboo, will you?" He asked. Connan nodded.

"Yeah, we'll head down there." She flicked two fingers at the Master in farewell and backed toward the door. Carth bowed to the Master, however.

"Thank you for assisting us in reaching people from our time, Master Yoda." Yoda raised a brow in clear surprise. He chuckled.

"Your thanks, humbly accepted, is." He bowed back to Carth. "And maybe teach Connan some of your etiquette you could, hmmm?"

"Phhth." Connan opened the door with a wave of her hand. "Etiquette? The very thought is laughable."

"Connan!" Carth called, darting after her as she left.

"Let's go pack." Connan said to the awaiting Anakin outside the door. "We'll be gone for a while."

-----

**Even _I'm _appalled that this took so long. I am _sooo _sorry, people. But I have three reasons. Which I will now state.**

**1. We had a family crisis the week I was _supposed _to update, and all my time was used up trying to fix it. (still not totally fixed but it's getting there)**

**2. We've had high school band competitions every weekend for a month, so by Sunday I'm so drained I get up at three in the afternoon and still can't "wake up" until late into the night.**

**3. I'm still too damn lazy.**

**But I'll make it up to you people! I'm going to update either tomorrow or Monday, since—wait, Monday is practice again. Bleh. Okay. I got it. Either tomorrow (very likely) or Tuesday (in case the very likely falls through)**

**Sorry people and please review, I'll start up on the real movie part again tomorrow.**


	6. Tension

**Tension**

"Connan," The female Jedi knew something was wrong when Obi Wan came in, his face pale and his chewed-on index finger running along the neck of his robes. Connan stared at him, her eyes wide. Carth's arms wound tighter around her stomach from behind her, pulling her back onto the wall they leaned against.

"What is it?" Connan asked, a twinge of irritation on her tone which made Obi Wan glare. She hated always being interrupted by the Jedi whenever Carth decided to play with her. It always seemed to happen. Maybe they had a tracker on Carth so they could tell when he was ready to horse around, and they made up dilemmas to keep the two from having their way.

"I don't think you're going to like this." Obi Wan answered. Connan scoffed.

"What, did every single transport on Coruscant break down, so now we have to _walk _to Naboo?" Connan caught Obi Wan's skepticism and continued. "Unless it's of that magnitude, I don't think it's going to bother me much."

"Chancellor Palpatine has requested that you accompany Anakin to meet him." Connan shot away from Carth as soon as Obi Wan said "Palpatine".

"What?" Connan shrieked, moving for her mines. Carth swept them out of the way before Connan could get within throwing range. "You let that son-of-a-half-Sith summon me?"

"He hasn't seen you sine you left that day. He's wondering what's up with you." Obi Wan defended his Chancellor. Connan stuck her tongue out at him.

"He's not wondering what's up with me, he's wondering what I plan to do for him." She assumed. "He doesn't care about anything I do unless it helps him."

"If it helps him it must help the Republic." Obi Wan growled. Connan raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, it _must_?" Rolling her eyes, she moaned. "Fine, I'll go. But Carth comes to. And we get to hold onto our weapons."

"Connan, you're being—"

"A stubborn bantha? Heard it before."

"No, you're being a rotten Tonto."

"I've been called worse." Connan shrugged. "Take it or leave it."

Now Obi Wan moaned.

"I'll see what I can do, but don't count on anything." He said turning.

"I don't get my way, he doesn't get his." Connan spat. She sat down on the ground, running a hand through her hair.

"Wow," Carth said once Obi Wan left. "You really don't like this guy, do you?"

"You'll understand once you've seen him. I can't believe none of the other Jedi sense it." She questioned.

"Maybe it's because they're not you." Carth crouched down next to Connan, brushing a long bang out from her eyes.

"Well, then everyone should _become _me for a minute, then they'd see what I see." Carth sputtered, making Connan stare at him, bewildered.

"I wouldn't want everyone to become you," He said, kissing her forehead lightly. "Even for a minute. I can't love everyone at once."

Connan beamed.

-----

Connan stood beside Anakin, facing the window to the outside world. She and Carth were inside Palpatine's chambers, listening to Palpatine done.

"I will talk with her. Senator Amidala will not refuse an executive order." He said at last. Connan snarled silently. She glanced at Carth, who was somehow managing to keep his composure. How was he doing it? Palpatine was definitely reeking of something, but Connan couldn't place it. Surely Carth could see it, too? He might not have had Jedi powers but he had a good sense about people.

"I know her well enough to assure you of that." The Chancellor continued.

_If Æliesha were here I'd have her rip you limb from limb. _Connan thought vilely.

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Anakin bowed slightly. Palpatine smiled in acknowledgement, and then turned to other subjects.

"And so, they've finally given you an assignment." Anakin nodded, and Connan felt herself bristle against her will, her right hand instinctively rushing to her lightsaber. She rubbed the edges of it, not letting her fingers take it out.

Yet.

"Your patience has paid off." Palpatine was till talking.

"Your guidance more than my patience." Anakin retorted. Palpatine sauntered away from the window, talking as he did. Anakin followed him. Connan satisfied herself with simply turning to face their backs. Maybe if she took out Carth's blaster and shot Palpatine in the back she could end something before it started. Carth was standing right next to her; in fact, she could see the blaster inside his jacket.

"You don't need guidance, Anakin." Palpatine continued. "In time, you will learn to trust your feelings."

Connan raised an eyebrow. What nonsense was he saying? What lies was he putting into Anakin's head?

"Then you will be invincible." Palpatine stated. Connan's mouth dropped. She followed Palpatine and Anakin as they walked toward the exit. Yep, she could still shoot him.

"I have said it many times: You are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met."

Connan stopped herself from saying, _How many Jedi have you met?_

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Anakin bowed again.

"I see you becoming the greatest Jedi of all, Anakin." Palpatine prophesized. "Even more powerful than Master Yoda."

Connan tried to burst between the two, but Carth clamped his huge hand onto her shoulder, holding her back. He pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her, pushing his face into her neck. He was whispering to her.

"Calm down, hold on a minute. Stay here."

_What? Calm **down**!? You calm down, you….you—_

Palpatine interrupted her before she could come up with a vile insult.

"Now, you run along, I would like to have a word with Connan and her dear friend, if you don't mind." Palpatine shooed Anakin playfully out of the room.

_Good, _Connan thought. _Anakin won't be here to see me lob this guy's head off and paint the windows red._

"What the _hell _do you think you're doing, 'Your Excellency'?" Mocked Connan as soon as she felt Anakin was out of hearing-range. "Filling his head with lies. What do you know about what is going to happen?"

"I should like to ask you the very same thing." The Chancellor challenged. Connan raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you have what the Jedi call Force Precognition and that you can see glimpses of the future." Palpatine stated. "I would like for you to see if you can utilize it to see what will happen to my precious Republic." Connan took a step backward.

"Wait—say that again." She held a hand protectively in front of her.

"He wants you to look into his Republic's future." Carth translated. Palpatine nodded.

"I'm just so stressed and worried that I might be doing the wrong thing and that I might be sending my Republic down a dark road." The Chancellor rubbed his temple. "So if you could look at what will happen if I keep down this way, I could change things for the better of the Republic."

"Two things I don't do: I don't lie, and I don't see into the future for anyone. Not even me. I find it takes the fun out of everything." Connan smirked ruefully.

"You would rather let this Republic that has stood for a millennia fall?" Palpatine sounded shocked.

"A wise old man once sat me down and made me listen to him lecture once. He said something along the lines of: 'Everyone thinks that their era is the greatest, their war is the hardest and their roads the longest. The truth is that dynasties rise and fall. People who come to power die, and sooner or later foolish people who are easily brought down come to that power. Republics and Empires will come and go, but the galaxy is still the galaxy.'" Connan explained, pulling Carth toward the door. "Now, is there anything else you wanted?"

"No, you may go to Naboo with Anakin now." Bowing, Connan left the room. Somewhere down the hallway, she stopped short.

No one had told Palpatine that she and Carth were going to Naboo with Anakin and Padmé.

-----

"So?" She asked Carth as they entered their room. She resumed packing in the equipment she and Carth would need into her bag. "What do you think of him?"

Carth was silent. Connan stared at him.

"Fly-boy? You in there? Hello?" She waved a hand in front of Carth's face. He blinked, grasped her hand in frustration, and began to rub it. Then Connan noticed how cold her hands were compared to Carth's.

"I heard you, beautiful." He said softly, blowing warm breath onto her fingertips. "I just don't think you're going to like what I have to say."

"Don't tell me you believe Obi Wan!" Connan attempted to pull her hands back from the man. He kept his hold on them.

"Not anymore," Carth said quickly, before Connan could get angrier. "At first it seemed like nothing was wrong with him, and I thought that maybe some of my old paranoia rubbed onto you. But then I heard what he said about Anakin becoming invincible, and his whole demeanor changed. I just," He stopped, pausing just long enough to kiss both of Connan's hands. "I just don't think there's enough to go on that he's actually doing something he shouldn't be doing."

"So you believe me, but we can't do anything about it?" Connan asked. Carth nodded. "Well, at least you _believe _me." She hugged Carth tightly. "Everyone else just looks at me like I'm loony."

"I got that out of my system right before we left Taris." Carth said. Connan laughed. She laid a hand on Carth's chest and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Their gaze held for a minute, as their faces grew closer and closer together. Connan felt Carth's arm wrap around her waist, and she closed her eyes….

"Connan!" Obi Wan had the _best _timing. He walked through the door, greeted by a sneering Connan and a howling Carth.

"Oh, _hello_, Obi Wan." Connan said through clenched teeth. She made a point of clinging onto Carth, enjoying watching Obi Wan's face tighten. Another moment with Carth ruined. "What is it?"

"Hurry up and pack." He ordered. "Padmé has been ordered to go back to Naboo and she's not happy about it. You should go talk to her."

"Isn't Anakin with her?" Connan whined.

"I don't want the boy with her by himself." Obi Wan admitted.

"Ah, you're scared that sparks will fly." Connan smiled. "And you think that if I go with them to Naboo I'll stop it from happening."

"I know you better than the Council does, Connan." Obi Wan smirked. "You wouldn't stop Anakin from doing anything. You'd probably egg him on if you wanted to. In fact, that's why I _didn't _want you to go with Anakin. I wanted help with me."

"So why aren't we going with you?" Carth asked.

"The Council wants someone to guide Anakin." Obi Wan stated. Connan shrugged.

"Whatever. We'll hurry and pack, but I'd feel better if we only kept the ruined moments of the day to a minimum." Connan waved Obi Wan off. Obi Wan smiled, scrunching up his face to act like he was insulted, and left.

Without warning, Carth spun Connan around and dipped her, his arms securely around her waist. She giggled.

"No more ruined moments?" Carth asked, leaning his face closer to Connan's.

"No more," She answered. Wrapping an arm around his head and grabbing onto his hair.

She kissed him.

**-----**

**I'm so sorry. I had most of this done last-last week but then the family thing started up again. I think I've finally killed it. So I can update now. **

**On a slightly darker side, I don't know when I'll be able to update again. I think I might get grounded for a grade I'm going to get in geometry unless I can somehow bribe the teacher. ((tear)) T.T So if I get grounded I can't type anymore, since I use the DVD for the story and I can't bring a DVD to school to use. But I will be able to review and reply to people via school. I _does _have uses. I might even be able to pull up and update some stories I haven't touched in a while. I just have to email them to myself. Oh well.**

**If I get grounded I'll either review this story at school and say I'm grounded or PM all my faithful readers. So in the mean-time, please review!**


	7. Flight

**Flight**

Connan and Carth walked into Senator Padmé's room just as Jar Jar was leaving. He smiled brightly at the woman. She meekly smiled back. When he left she sobbed playfully.

"I thought I said no Gungans." She murmured.

"We're not on Naboo _yet,_ Connan." Carth nudged her. She shrugged. They overheard Padmé speaking with Anakin and walked into the room as she was griping at him.

"I do not like this idea of hiding." She snarled.

"Don't worry," Anakin said coolly. "Now that the Council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter."

"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act to not be here when its fate is decided." She said sourly, picking up some clothes and placing them neatly into her suitcase.

"Sometimes we must let go of our pride—" Anakin recited. Connan rolled her eyes and interrupted.

"—And do what is requested of us." She finished. Anakin and Padmé looked over at her, surprise evident on their faces. "Ooh, sorry. I thought you guys knew we were here."

"Anakin," Padmé said to the boy, smiling. "You've grown up." She went over to Connan and hugged her tightly.

"Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it." Anakin growled. He strode over to a nearby table and began messing with the trinkets. "Don't get me wrong. Obi-Wan is a great mentor." He picked up a ball and began making it float in the air. Padmé continued packing. "He's as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu." He glanced at Connan.

"And a bark worse than his bite." She added. He chuckled.

"I am truly thankful to be his apprentice." Anakin continued. "In some ways—a lot of ways—I'm really ahead of him." Connan frowned. "I'm ready for the trials. But he feels that I'm too unpredictable. He won't let me move on."

"That must be frustrating." Padmé interjected.

"It's worse." Anakin went on. Connan crossed her arms, glancing at Carth. He looked at if he was about to reprimand a four year old. That was how she felt. "He's overly critical, he never listens, he—he doesn't understand. It's not fair!"

"Anakin." Connan said, a snap in her voice. "Who said life should be fair? Tell me who said that everything you should get out of life should be absolutely, one-hundred percent, perfect for everyone, everywhere? You have to work at what you do. Ask me sometime and I'll tell you about my _first _master, Kreia. _There's _a story. It's living proof that life can be unfair in the beginning but be for the greater good. "

For a moment Padmé was silent.

"All mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like." She finally said. "It's the only way we grow." Anakin sighed, sitting down on her bed as she finished packing.

"I know," He said.

"Anakin," Padmé looked up at him. "Don't try to grow up too fast."

"But I am grown up." He stood and stared at her. Connan could feel the woman's unease now. "You said it yourself."

"Please don't look at me like that." She ordered.

"Why not?" He asked.

"It makes me feel uncomfortable." She answered, walking away.

"Sorry, milady." Anakin answered.

"You don't think I should leave, do you Connan?" She asked.

"We can keep a tighter watch on you on Naboo." Connan replied. "And besides, it's so much prettier there! You've got the gorgeous beaches, the luxurious waters, the beautiful fields, the—"

"Whoa, someone's getting sentimental." Carth chided. Connan elbowed him in the ribcage.

"Can I help it if I _like _something?" She asked. "Besides, I haven't been on Naboo in…. well, I've kind of lost track of time…."

"Two months, beautiful." Carth answered.

"_Only_ two months?!" She asked. "Force! It feels like—"

"Yes, yes, I know. It feels like ten." Carth answered, ushering her out of the room. He turned and called back, "we're done packing, so we're good to go when you are!"

-----

Back in Connan's room, Carth plopped down on the bed and sighed. Connan gently shut the door.

"Well, if _that_ tantrum didn't seem child-like, I don't know what is." He said.

"He's never done that before." Connan answered, sitting next to Carth and setting her arm on his chest. "Obi Wan certainly wouldn't teach him to act like that."

"So where did he get it?"

"Oh, I don't know." Connan shrugged. "It could be a number of things. Since he came to the Order late, he could still have some child in him that's stubborn and doesn't want to leave,"

"Like you." Carth smiled. Connan poked his stomach with her index finger.

"It could be that he's a bit upset that his Master shot down his ideas in front of others and humiliated him."

"Ooh, like you and Bastila!" Connan lay down next to Carth and ran a hand through his smooth hair.

"It could be that he's nervous that his first mission on his own is with the person he's hopelessly in love with."

"I'm starting to think you and Anakin are related." Connan hit Carth with a pillow.

"You have _such _a big ego!" She sneered. Carth grabbed her by the waist and rolled over her. He began tickling her. She burst out in laughter. "How—How can y-you say—stop that!—How can you say I fell hopelessly in love with someone on my first mission?"

Carth kissed her nose, followed by her eyelids.

"I'm still here, aren't I, beautiful?" The movement stopped. Connan made eye contact with Carth, who placed a hand on her cheek.

A knock at the door ruined the moment. Carth helped Connan up, who sighed dejectedly.

"Come in, Obi Wan." She crossed her arms. Obi Wan entered the room. "What happened now? Was Ki-Adi-Mundi shot down by a bunch of clones who are supposed to be on our side?"

Pfth. Like that'd ever happen.

"No," Obi Wan snapped. "But I've been sent to tell you that Anakin and Padmé are expecting you at the entrance. They're about to leave."

Connan shrugged.

"All right," Carth said. "We'll be there in a minute." Obi Wan bowed and left.

"He just _looks _for excuses to come in here." Connan pouted. "I can't wait until we get to Naboo."

"Then we'd better go get started."

-----

Connan walked lazily alongside Carth and Padmé, with Carth carrying the two suitcases of things they needed and Connan carrying her bag over her shoulder. On the other side of Padmé was Anakin, followed closely by Obi Wan. Their transport that would take them to their actual ship to leave the planet came in and Connan helped Padmé make her way into an empty seat. Once everyone was settled, the Captain and Padmé's lady-in-waiting came in as well and the transport took off.

"Be safe, Milady." Captain Typho instructed.

"Thank you, Captain." Padmé answered routinely. "Take good care of Dormé. The threat's on you two now." Dormé smirked.

"He'll be safe with me." She insisted. But tears streamed down her face. Connan felt sorry for the girl.

"You'll be fine." Padmé encouraged. Dormé shook her head.

"It's not me, Milady. I'm worried about you. What if they realize you've left the capital?"

"Well…." Padmé turned to stare at Anakin, who smirked. "Then my Jedi protector will just have to prove how good he is."

"Anakin." Obi Wan had to wave a hand in front of his Padawan's face to get his attention. "Don't do anything without first consulting me or the Council."

"Yes, Master." Anakin droned. Connan puffed up. She opened her mouth to say something, but Carth squeezed her hand, and she shut her mouth.

Obi Wan nodded and left to regard Padmé.

"I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly, Milady." He insisted. "You'll be back here in no time."

"I'm most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi." Padmé bowed her head. Connan was surprised it didn't unbalance her and topple her over with that huge, unnecessary head garment she had hanging over her.

"It's time to go." Connan interrupted.

"I know," Padmé resigned. The doors opened and Carth and Connan stepped out, followed by Anakin and Padmé.

"Anakin, Connan, Carth, may the Force be with you." Connan turned and waved.

"If it isn't, you'll know." Connan replied.

"And may the Force be with you, Master." Anakin bowed, picked up his and Padmé's things, and left the tran.

"Oh, Obi," Connan snapped her fingers, jamming a hand into her bag. "If you get stuck, use this and you'll reach me." She threw a small, circular device at him. "It's four-thousand year old technology, so if you rip it apart to see how it works, I'll be mad. Just press the big red button I painted."

On the front of the small communicator, there was a big, red button with the words, "PRESS ME" on the top.

"So you won't get lost." Connan finished. "I always keep the other one on me, so if you buzz me, I'll answer. The distance is fraking huge, so don't worry about static or interference." Obi Wan smiled.

"And you expect me not to take this apart?"

"How about when we're finished with the mission, you keep it and do whatever you want with it. But not until we finish the mission. If you break it now, you owe me a couple thousand Old Republican creds."

"And _where _do you suppose I find those?" Obi Wan raised an eyebrow. Connan shrugged.

"Guess you better not break it then, huh?" She bowed and left, tugging on Carth's arm to follow.

She caught up with Anakin, Padmé, and R2-D2, who had been ordered at the last minute to come along.

"Hey there, little guy!" Connan hugged the droid. "Haven't seen you in a while. Now I get to upgrade you!"

R2-D2 beeped in delight.

"You still like messing with droids, Connan?" Anakin asked. Connan smiled.

"_You_ may have aged ten years, but I, thankfully, have been away from you people for only six days."

"Suddenly I'm afraid." Padmé interjected, switching the subject.

"This is my first assignment on my own, I am too." Anakin replied.

"Don't you guys worry!" Connan threw a fist in the air. "You've got us!"

"And I suppose if all things fail, we have R2 with us." Anakin joked. Connan beamed.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

-----

It took a few days to get to Naboo from Coruscant. Three, to be exact. After the first day, Connan was ready for _anything _other than Gammoreans grunting and Twi'Leks getting in debt.

"Ooh, I feel like I'm back on Tatooine, in the hunting lodge." She said.

"Or out in the desert." Carth wiped his brow. "With all of this heat."

"When we get to Naboo I'm taking a bath. All this…. how can I say it without getting into a fight?"

"Uh, skin contact?"

"That'll work." Connan slapped Carth's knee playfully. "All this skin contact and brushing against everyone else is giving me the jitters. _Especially _the Gammoreans. I'm glad they don't speak Basic."

Connan yelped and jumped out of her seat.

"What is it?" Carth was alarmed. Connan whipped her bag around and pulled out the small device she'd given Obi Wan. It was beeping. She pressed the button on it and a small projection of Obi Wan Kenobi appeared in the center of it.

"Connan?" He called.

"I'm here." She said. "Carth is, too."

"I know, I can _see _him!" Obi Wan seemed fascinated. "You're both sitting down. I can talk to you and see you at the same time!"

"Yes, yes, marvel at the thought later." She waved him off. "What did you need?"

"You know that dart that killed the Changeling?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yeah, we know it." Connan answered.

"I can't see who it was made by. The analysis droids can't find it in the archives."

"Then it's not there."

"I _know _that, Connan." Obi Wan stomped his foot. "But if it's not in the archives, then—"

"No, I mean if it's not in the archives, no one's ever used it in the Republic before." Connan clarified. Carth nodded.

"They have laws against wiping things from the archives and it's almost impossible to hack." He added.

"So what should I do?"

"Does the dart have any kind of marks on it at all?" Carth asked. Obi Wan appeared to be staring at something in his palm.

"Yes, it does."

"Then it _does _have some identification. Find someone who can tell you what the marks mean. They must be from the Outer Rim, or beyond, if you can't find them in the archives." He answered. Connan nodded.

"Thanks." Obi Wan bowed, then cocked his head to one side. "Uhh… how do I turn this off?"

"Press the big red button again." Connan instructed. Obi Wan nodded and disappeared. Connan shut hers off, too.

"Well, that was fun." Carth stretched.

"Definitely." Connan agreed. "Now we know we're not dealing with your average bounty hunter. Maybe this guy's related to old what's-his-name…. You know, Candorous' friend." Carth gave her a blank look. "You know, looked like a pilot? Detonator-happy? Finally died on Kashyyyk?"

"Calo Nord."

"Yeah! Him."

"Hope not. It took two times to kill that guy for good." Connan giggled.

"Let's go find Anakin and Padmé." She wandered off, dragging Carth with her.

"Connan! Carth! Over here!" Padmé's hand waved in the air. Connan followed it. Anakin and Padmé were sitting at a small table, big enough for four. Padmé say eating a soup, and Anakin was staring at her. They were in a conversation.

"There you two are." Carth commented, sitting next to Anakin. Connan took her next by Padmé. R2-D2 came by with food for Anakin.

"You guys want something?" He asked.

"No, no, we're fine." Connan insisted. Anakin shrugged and began eating.

"Must be difficult, having sworn your life to the Jedi…. Not being able to visit the things you like or do the things you like." Padmé commented. "Aside from Connan, of course."

"Most Jedi don't like me _because _I do those things. Even the ones in this age look sideways at me." Connan sputtered.

"Or be with the people that I love," Anakin finished Padmé's statement. Connan beamed.

"Are you allowed to love?" Padmé asked. "I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi."

"Attachment is forbidden." Connan clarified. "Possession is forbidden. Attachment leads to greed. Greed leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. And hate… hate leads to _suffering_." She giggled. "I don't believe in such trivial things."

"Though, compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi's life." Anakin added, staring at Connan. "So you might say we are _encouraged _to love."

_That's a good boy. _Connan thought. She grinned.

"You've changed so much." Padmé said, taking a sip from her soup.

"Ah, you haven't changed a bit." Anakin countered. "You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams."

Connan placed a hand over her mouth. What a good way to spook someone. Padmé's eyes bulged slightly and she focused more on eating.

-----

The last day dragged by. Connan was the first one off when they touched down on Naboo.

"Ooh!" She inhaled. "Fresh air!"

"You missed the great outdoors?" Carth asked.

"Well it's all right being cooped up in the _Ebon Hawk_, I can annoy everyone without getting shot at. But three days on _that _thing? Ah! I need a bath. Come on, come on, hurry up!" Connan took a suitcase from Carth to hurry him up. Anakin took the other two for himself and Padmé. They made their way up the stairs to the exit.

"I wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected," Padmé was telling Anakin. "But now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough. I'm not sure I was ready."

"The people you served thought you did a good job." Anakin answered.

"Yeah, I even heard they tried to amend the constitution so you could stay in office." Connan said.

"I was relieved when my two terms were up." Padmé insisted. "But when the Queen asked me to serve as Senator, I couldn't refuse her."

"Well, I agree with her." Anakin smiled. "The Republic needs you." He exchanged glances with Padmé. "I'm glad that you chose to serve."

-----

Connan wasn't in a good mood. They had to escort Padmé to a meeting. Connan would have to wait a little longer to get her bath. Her arms were crossed and her face was set in stone as she listened to the politicians as they debated—whatever it was they debated. Connan never paid attention all that much.

"If the Senate votes to create an army, I'm sure it's going to push us into a civil war." Padmé stated.

"It's unthinkable." Said another man. "There hasn't been a full-scale war for four thousand years."

"I wonder why…." Connan muttered under her breath. The Queen turned to Padmé.

"Do you see any way through negotiations to bring the Separatists back to the Republic?"

"Not if they feel threatened." Padmé answered. "My guess is they'll turn to the Trade Federation or the Commerce Guilds for help."

Connan _meep_ed under her breath. The Trade Federation was full of the Frog-People. They'd been the ones who held Naboo under siege during Connan's last trip to the era.

"It's outrageous, but after four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the viceroy of the Trade Federation." The man who spoke before added. "I fear the Senate is powerless to resolve this crisis."

The Queen and Padmé switched looks. "We must keep out faith in the Republic." The Queen finally admitted. She stood, and everyone followed suit. Connan gave a silent cry of relief. The meeting was finally over. "The day we stop believing in democracy is the day we lose it."

"Let's pray that day never comes." Padmé replied. The Queen nodded.

"In the meantime, we must consider your own safety." She said.

"What is _your _suggestion, Master Jedi?" The man asked, following behind the Queen.

"Oh, Anikan's not a Jedi yet." Padmé insisted. Connan suppressed a laugh. "He's still a Padawan learner. But I was thinking—"

"Hold on a minute." Padmé swung around on Anakin, glaring at him for him to shut up.

"Excuse me." She continued. "I was thinking I would stay in the lake country. There are some places up there that are very isolated."

"Ooh, I wonder if the big one is still up…." Connan wondered. "On the very edge between the beach and the rest of civilization."

"Connan, I don't think that a place would stay up for four thousand years." Carth whispered. Connan shrugged.

"It would've been nice." She insisted.

"Excuse me," Anakin was saying. Connan snapped her attention back to him. "I'm in charge of security here, milady," He said, placing his hands on his hips. Connan tugged on his robes, trying to get him to shut up. It didn't work. Padmé answered before Connan could get a word in.

"And this is my home, I know it very well. That's why we're here." She retorted. "I think it would be wise if you took advantage of my knowledge in this instance." Connan shivered playfully.

"Sorry, Milady," Anakin didn't seem happy, but he resigned to Padmé.

"Perfect," Said the Queen, in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. "It's settled, then."

-----

"No—fraking—way!" Connan gaped, her mouth dropped and her eyes wide. Carth slapped a hand onto his face and rubbed his eyes. They stared at the home they would be staying at for the next few weeks. Padmé raised an eyebrow.

"Padmé, where did you get this place?" Connan asked.

"It's been in my family for generations." She said. "My mother traced back our heritage."

"Did it end with a Jedi named Bastila Shan?" Carth asked, stepping onto the cobblestone walkway, helping Anakin carry the bags.

"How did you know?" Padmé seemed shocked. Connan squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Padmé.

"Ah! You're related to the Princess! No wonder you were nominated for Queen!" She said as she squeezed Padmé, who giggled. "But, wait…." Connan let go, turning to Carth. She raised an eyebrow, and he nodded.

"That's what I was thinking."

"What?" Anakin asked, setting down the luggage.

"If Padmé's related to Bastila," Connan started.

"And Bastila was an only child," Carth continued.

"Who did Bastila marry and have a kid with?" Connan asked, rubbing her head.

"From what my mother said, it sounds something like Can-doh-roos Or-doh." Padmé speculated. "But it's been translated from the Mandalorian language so we can't read it—"

"CANDOROUS!?" Connan screeched. "No way! Who'da thought it?"

"You know him?" Padmé asked. Connan nodded.

"I know _her_, too. She lives here. Every time we're on vacation or something we come here." Connan sighed. "I can't believe this place is still up!"

"There has been some remodeling," Carth said as he looked around. Connan laughed, now turning her attention to him.

"Well, you can't expect the place to stay exactly the same for four thousand years, can you?" She asked. He shook his head.

Anakin and Padmé had gone ahead of Connan and Carth, and they were talking on their own.

"We used to come here for school retreat," Padmé was saying as they walked through the outside areas. "We would swim to that island everyday." She nodded to the island sitting just a ways out from the place. "I love the water." She sighed, leaning against the railing. "We used to lie out on the sand and let the sun dry us…. And try to guess the names of the birds singing."

There was a silence as Connan leapt onto the railing a ways off, pulling Carth to her and wrapping her arms around his neck. He turned his back to her and leaned against her. Connan rested her head on Carth's shoulder, listening in to Anakin and Padmé's conversation.

"I don't like sand." Anakin said, staring at his nails and picking at them relentlessly. "It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets _everywhere_." He said. Connan giggled softly into Carth's neck.

_There's a Tatooinian perspective. _She thought.

"But not like here," He went on. "Here, everything is soft, and smooth."

Connan stared as Anakin slid his hand softly up Padmé's bare back. They exchanged glances as their faces drew closer. Connan covered Carth's eyes, successfully prying a playful sigh from him.

Carth whirled around to face Connan. His locked her lips in a delicate kiss, cupping her cheeks in his hands. She smiled, gratefully allowing him access to her mouth.

Connan felt an excitement whelp up inside of her, and she could sense Anakin had followed their example. He had reached over was now enclosed in a long, tender moment with the woman he loved.

"No," Padmé backed away, making Connan and Carth break up as well. "I shouldn't have done that," She gasped.

Anakin seemed confused as to what he should do for a moment. After a few seconds, he finally got his words together.

"I'm sorry," He admitted, drooping his head. Padmé walked away, into the interior of the house. Anakin sighed, glancing at Connan and Carth before storming off as well.

"Ah," Connan said, running her hands through Carth's hair. "Young love. Do you think maybe _that's _what it looks like?"

"We're not that old _yet_, Beautiful." He pressed his forehead to hers.

She kissed his lips quickly, pulling back before he could comply. She smiled as he growled.

"Why do you always have to play?" He asked, trying to suppress a smile. She shrugged, catching him before he could complain again. This time he held her there, making sure he had enough time to play with her. She giggled as they parted, licking her lips tauntingly.

"Can I take a shower now?" She asked. He nodded. "Good. Come help me." She jumped slightly off of the railing and headed for the door.

"Help you?" Carth repeated. "Connan, with Anakin and Padmé here, do you really think we should be… you know…."

"Showing a public display of attention?" Connan finished, raising an eyebrow. Carth nodded.

Connan took Carth's hand and dragged him into the house.

"Carth, just because they _won't_, doesn't mean we _can't_."

-----

**GASP! What's this? A computer? I recall having one of these….**

**That's right…. I'm BACK! ((does victory dance))**

**Oh yes, I'm back with a 91 in geometry. But I'm not sure how long it'll last. If I suddenly disappear off the face of the Republic again, you'll know why. T.T So sorry about the long wait guys, but I'm back!**

**Whoo! I'm just so excited! I'm on chapter 20 and I'm only 46 minutes through. So review, and I'll see you guys Sunday!**


	8. Grow

**Grow**

Connan sighed, falling backward into the grass. It padded her decent nicely and she giggled as Carth sat down beside her.

"Yes! I'm clean!" Connan stretched out, purring softly as Carth laid a hand on her stomach.

"Connan, you're bad." He joked.

"Yes, but now I'm bad and _clean_." She answered. "Ah! It's so pretty out here!" Carth laid down beside her, holding himself up on an elbow.

"It is," He said softly. Connan stared into his brown eyes lazily, willing him to kiss her. His face neared hers, and each closed their eyes, as if anticipating what would happen. Connan could feel the heat radiating off of Carth's face now….

_BUZZ!_

Both jumped slightly. Connan sat up, looking extremely pissed. Her hands dug into her backpack, impatiently searching for something.

"Ooh, that Obi Wan!" She cursed, pulling out her comm. link. "He's not even _here_ and he still ruins our moments!" She turned it on. "What is it?" She spat.

"I've found the planet where the poison dart came from." He informed. "It's a small planet called Kamino, just past the Outer Rim."

"Oh! I know that place. Donella and I stopped there for fuel once we were setting out for the Unknown Regions." She said, instantly perking up. "It's in between the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions. Weird people with the long necks?"

"That's them." Obi Wan answered. "Anyway, I got here and they said they'd been expecting me."

"They _were_?" Carth asked. "How strange."

"What did they say they were expecting you for?" Connan inquired.

"I was supposedly there to inspect the troops." Obi Wan answered. Connan frowned.

"Troops?" She repeated. "What troops? I thought the Jedi fought wars for this era."

"They _do_, that's why this is so awkward. They've been planning a Clone Army for the Republic for the last few decades under Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas' orders." Obi Wan said.

"Clone Army?" Connan gaped. "For cloning you have to have DNA. Whose DNA did they use?"

"That's the good part." Obi Wan smirked. "They used a bounty hunter's DNA. His name is Jango Fett."

"Uh-oh." Connan's face dropped. "That isn't good."

"What?" Carth asked. "_Is _he related to Calo Nord?"

"Who?" Obi Wan asked. They ignored him.

"No, the Fetts are the best bounty hunters in our era. I remember because I've had to give them the slip so many times as Darth Revan. They're hard to kill. This is worse than Calo Nord." Connan explained. "It took four times to kill the last Fett I've been up against. The only way to really know if they're dead is to cut off their head. And I think even when I did _that _he still came after me. The Fetts mean business."

"Apparently he's keen on keeping to tradition; he wanted his own unaltered clone for himself." Obi Wan added.

"Oh, boy. That's going to complicated things sooner or later." Connan chided. "So now what?"

"Now I'm in a room given to me until I can go meet with Jango Fett." Obi Wan replied.

"Good luck." Connan nodded. She flicked off the comm. link.

"So, you've been chased before?" Carth asked slyly. Connan shrugged.

"They just can't get enough of me." She smiled.

"Connan! Carth!"

Padmé was waving at the from over the hilltop. She and Anakin had set up a picnic and were sitting in the grass as Connan and Carth were. Connan stood, helping Carth up, and made her way to the two.

"I don't know," Padmé was saying. She chuckled. She smoothed out her pretty peach-colored dress.

"Sure you do." Anakin countered. "You just don't want to tell me."

"You gonna use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?" Padmé challenged, raising an eyebrow. Connan smiled, waiting for Carth to sit. As he did, she laid down, setting her head in his lap.

"They only work on the weak-minded." Anakin smiled. Padmé turned away, picking at a flower. She grinned down at Connan, she sat, listening lazily to the conversation.

"All right, I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program." She told. "He was a few years older than I. Very cute. Dark curly hair, dreamy eyes."

"All right, I get the picture." Anakin sourly scowled. "Whatever happened to him?"

"I went into public services; he went on to become an artist." Padmé answered.

"Maybe he was the smart one." Anakin said.

"You don't like politicians, do you?" Connan asked idly.

"I like two or three…." He said smugly. "But I'm not really sure about one of them."

"Yeah, you and me both." Connan snarled under her breath. Carth nudged her head slightly.

"I don't think the system works." Anakin replied.

"Well, how would you have it work?" Carth asked.

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem, agree what's in the best interest of all the people and then do it." He said.

"That's exactly what we do. The problem is, people don't always agree." Padmé answered.

"Well, then they should be made to." Anakin simply replied. Connan flinched.

"That sounded like outside influence to me," She whispered to Carth. He nodded.

"By who, who's going to make them?" She really said.

"I don't know… someone."

"You?" Padmé seemed skeptical.

"Of course not me." He snapped.

"But someone." Padmé clarified.

"Someone wise." Anakin added.

"Sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me." Padmé shrugged. Anakin smirked.

"Well, if it works." There was a moment of silence before Anakin's face burst into a grin.

"You're making fun of me." Padmé guessed.

"No." Anakin said, getting pushed by Padmé. "I'd be much too frightened to tease a Senator." They all laughed.

"What about you guys?" Padmé asked, staring at Carth and Connan.

"What about us?" Connan asked, sitting up.

"Have you two ever been in love with anyone?" Padmé asked. She clarified after their skeptic looks. "Other than each other, of course."

"Yes." Carth and Connan answered at the same time. Anakin's mouth fell open.

"Are you serious?" He asked. He reminded Connan of the cute little eight-year-old she used to know. "Tell us!"

Carth and Connan exchanged glances.

"I'll tell if you tell." He said. She shrugged.

"Is it bad?" Padmé asked. "You don't have to tell us if it's bad."

"It's not." Connan said. "I mean, it _is_, but it happened a while ago so we're all right with talking about it now.

"You remember me talking about a guy named Malak?" Anakin and Padmé nodded. "And about how he was a _friend_…."

"You don't mean—" Anakin slapped his hand onto his forehead.

"But you killed him!" Padmé gawked.

"Yes, well, it was his fault they had to erase my memory in the first place, because one of his men miscalculated where to shoot. So he shot my ship where I was. Blew out most of my memory.

"Anyway, he was obsessed with me. The whole while I was fighting with him on the Star Forge, he kept telling me how he was just going to knock me unconscious and make me remember what it was like to be a Darth. I told him I couldn't remember if I tried."

"Didn't you feel guilty about killing him?" Padmé asked, a little shocked.

"Oh, I did all right. When the memory came which told me that we used to love each other, I was in tears."

"And Carth is all right with this?" Anakin asked. Connan leaned onto Carth protectively.

"I love Carth _now_. No matter how much I loved Malak _then_, it wasn't what there when I realized what it was." Connan smirked. "And besides, his side of the story balances it out."

"What," Anakin said, sarcasm in his voice. "Was he married and had a kid?"

"Yup."

"What?" Padmé stared, wide-eyed, at Carth. He nodded.

"I had a wife named Morgana and a son named Dustil." Carth answered.

"What happened?" Anakin asked. Connan scratched the back of her head uneasily.

"Well…. You see…." She didn't know how to answer it, so Carth did.

"Malak attacked my home planet. He killed my wife and took my son, raising him to become a Sith." He said bluntly. Anakin shot a look at Connan.

"It wasn't my fault!" She said. "I didn't know he was going to do it. This was about the time he started getting a little Dark Side. He told Saul Karath that to prove he was on our side he should blow up his home planet. When I found out what he did I went crazy." She excused. Carth hugged her tightly.

"I don't blame you, hon." He said. "So stop worrying about it." Connan sighed.

"Good." She enfolded her hands in his. "Because if you jump, I jump."

There was an awkward silence for a while. The fat, rolly-pollie-like creatures all around them grunted at the stillness. The Connan smiled.

"Hey, Anakin." She taunted. "I bet I can ride one farther." Anakin looked from the animals to Connan, fire dancing in his eyes.

"You're on."

-----

Catching the things was hard enough. They could feel footsteps coming from four yards off and would take off at an uneasy gallop in the other direction. In the end, Connan had to teach Anakin how to stun an animal into submission with the Force and they both got on one of them.

"Okay," Padmé said, smiling. "On your mark, get set…. Go!"

The two animals burst off into the hills, trying to best each other as Connan and Anakin spurred them on. Carth crossed his arms.

"She's always getting herself into this kind of dangerous stuff." He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"So's he." Padmé answered. "You'd think they're related or something."

Anakin won. Connan laughed, making her beast run in circles, getting itself dizzy. Anakin stood on his animal's back. Padmé laughed. Connan reared her animal up in the air, lost balance and fell at the same moment Anakin was thrown from his beast.

"Connan!" Carth ran to Connan, who instantly got up, laughing. Anakin struggled to sit up and plummeted to the ground. Connan could hear him laughing inside his mind. He was just playing. "You're going to give me a heart attack." Carth scolded.

"Nonsense." Connan stood. "If I was going to give you a heart attack by doing a stupid stunt, you would've had millions of them by now."

"Ani!" Padmé rushed to the boy's side. "Ani, are you all right?" She turned him onto his back. He burst out laughing. She began hitting him. He rolled her over in the grass and they tossed and turned until Anakin was back into his back.

Connan looked away as they stared at each other, and she turned Carth around so he wouldn't look, either.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Obi Wan ruins all of _our_ moments, but that doesn't mean we have to ruin _theirs_." She answered. He nodded.

-----

"_Rood eht so-heeck."_

"Come again?"

"That's what he said to the boy. _Rood eht so-heeck_. What does that mean?"

"It's Hutt. It means either 'hide the uniform', or 'wash the ship', depending on where you are."

"We were inside and it was raining; I don't think they'd want to wash the ship."

"Then he was hiding a uniform. Did he say anything about Sifo-Dyas?"

"When I mentioned it, he said he was hired by a man named Tyranus on one of the moons of Bogden."

"I don't know any Tyranus."

"Well, duh."

"Shut up. Go call the Jedi Council and get their advice on what to do next; it's dinnertime here and I'm hungry."

"Yes, I'm sure riding animals and taking picnics all day is _such _a hard way to spend the moment."

"Hey, sometimes even vacation is hard." Connan smiled. "Good-bye, Obi Wan." Obi Wan bowed and she flicked off the comm. link. Connan promptly waltzed into the dining room and took her seat across from Carth. On her left was Padmé, and on her right was Anakin.

"And when I got to them, we went into aggressive negotiations. Thank you." Anakin said the last part to the waitress.

"Aggressive negotiations?" Padmé repeated.

"Yes, it's negotiations through the end of a lightsaber," Connan answered.

"Oh." Padmé began laughing. She picked up her fork and knife to cut into the fruit she had laid on her plate. Anakin held up a hand and the fruit flew to him. He lay it on his plate and began cutting it himself as he spoke.

"If Master Obi Wan caught me doing this, he'd be very grumpy."

"Oh, that's only because he has no finesse." Connan said, who was making her fork spin circles around itself. Carth laughed.

"Connan, to you, _everyone _lacks finesse." He pointed out.

"Most people." Connan corrected. "Unless their name is Obi Wan or Bastila, I don't hang out with finesse-less people."

"I'm so glad we cleared that up." Carth joked. Connan nodded, giggling. Anakin cut the fruit in half and wafted the second half over to Padmé's fork, which hung in the air idly waiting for something to be put on it. Padmé stabbed the fruit with the fork and bit into it. Anakin grinned meekly, obviously nervous.

At that moment, Carth stood.

"You know, I'm just not-so-hungry right now." He rounded to the other side of the table and dragged Connan out of her seat. "Come on, hon."

"Oh, but I want to—"

"Is that _dirt _I see on your skin?" Carth whirled around and poked Connan's arm.

"Eek! Get it off!" She leapt into Carth's arms and he carried her out of the room, leaving two deeply puzzled people still in the room.

-----

Connan rubbed Carth's arm soothingly, almost tickling him with how gentle her touch was. Their legs were intertwined on the bed. Carth was holding Connan tightly, his arms around her waist and chest. Her back was pressed against his chest comfortably.

"This is nice." She sighed. "I like this bed. Let's take it back to the _Ebon Hawk _with us…." Carth chuckled.

"No, let's not. We'd have to put the men in with the women when we're sleeping." He answered. She shrugged.

"Oh, well. It was a nice idea though…." She sat her head up.

"What is it?" Carth asked.

"They're arguing." Connan answered.

"Oh, about what?"

"Well, they like each other."

"So? We like each other."

"He's a Jedi and she's a Senator."

"You're a Jedi."

"Yes, but you see…." Connan turned around in Carth's arms. "The difference between Anakin and I is that I didn't care about the Jedi rules. He's loved the Jedi since we met him on Tatooine. He doesn't want to betray the Jedi for another love. Even though he _is _willing, there is some doubt in him."

"Did you doubt?"

"Pfth. Please, I didn't even want to _be _a Jedi, so I don't count." She giggled, placing a finger to Carth's lips before he could talk again. "Now go to sleep, Carth." She insisted. "Pretty please?"

He sighed, allowing Connan to roll back over and onto her other side before securing her in front of him. He kissed her neck softly, sending chills down Connan's spine.

"Fine."

-----

_What's that? That—That's a woman! She tied up; someone help her! She can't move! _I _can't move!_

_Wait. She looks familiar somehow._

_What—that looks like—A Tuskan Raider? What's he…. No. No, don't! Don't touch her! She—she can't—don't!_

"—up…."

_You can't do that! Stop! That's hurting her! Stop it!_

"—ke up…."

_I can't help, I can't—someone, someone please HELP HER!_

"Wake up!"

Connan jerked awake, sitting up. She was covered in sweat, and her head was sprawled out around her. Carth wrapped his arms around her as she burst into tears.

"It's all right, it was just a nightmare. You're safe now…." He waited until she calmed down. "What happened?" He asked gently, rubbing her back.

"I don't know. Someone was tied up. Her hands were—it looked primitive. She'd been beaten. A Tuskan Raider came in and started beating on her." Connan answered, digging her face into Carth's neck.

"The Sand People live on Tatooine." Carth told her. "Are we connected to that somehow?"

"Anakin's from—" She stopped, paling. "That—That was Anakin's dream. So that means that must have been—" Connan instantly felt sick.

"Must have been who?"

"Must have been Shmi. Shmi is Anakin's mother." Connan got out of bed, quickly dressed, and bolted from the room, Carth not far behind.

They found Anakin standing the balcony with his hands behind his back and his eyes closed. Padmé was talking to him.

"I heard you." She said.

"You saw your mother, didn't you?" Connan asked abruptly. Anakin's eyes opened.

"She's suffering." He nodded. "I couldn't see to what extent, but I saw her as clearly as I see you now." His eyes met Padmé's. Connan and Carth exchanged glances.

"She's in pain." He said after a long, deep sigh. "I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you, Senator, but I have to go."

"You have to help her." Padmé finished.

"We'll go with you." Carth stated.

"I'm sorry, I don't have a choice." Anakin pleaded.

"Anakin." Anakin turned to Connan. "Of course you don't have a choice; she's your mother. So don't you feel guilty about disobeying a mandate. I've learned you can get a lot more done if you take them much more literally."

"Say what?" Anakin squinted his eyes.

"I'm saying that your mandate was to protect Padmé. So, naturally, you go where Padmé goes. If Padmé goes to Tatooine—which I'm sure she is—you have to go with her. Whatever things done in between were not implied in the directive and therefore cannot be considered disobeying." Connan explained. Padmé beamed.

"That's brilliant."

"Thanks." Connan smiled. "So, we've got a voyage to prepare for! I'll go get us a ship. Anakin, get supplies. Carth, come help me. Padmé, tell R2-D2 what we're doing." Connan threw a fist in the air. "We take off in three hours!"

-----

**Told you guys I'd see you Sunday. And WHOO, lemme tell ya, what a time I've had. I got three of my fingers cut so my typing's impaired, I switched beds with my brother so that took time out of typing, and I still have homework I've got to get done. n.n . **

**Okay, skipping over the next part in the movie because it's Obi Wan and it's not like he isn't going to call and tell Connan about it anyway, I'm on chapter 27 and I'm 1:03:27 minutes through. Please review, guys! **


	9. Death

**Death**

"He got away!"

"He is a Fett, Obi…." Connan cringed. Obi Wan did not sound happy at all. "At least you put the tracker on his ship. Go follow him!"

"I'm on my way now. Is…. Is that an engine I hear?" Connan _meep_ed. The Nubian they were flying gave a lurch as they landed in Mos Eisely.

"Ah! That was… uh…. I'm working at R2 and… Carth just threw a wrench at me." She looked around. R2-D2 instantaneously started making sounds and Carth began talking like he was angry.

"You two are always fighting." Obi Wan insisted.

"Yes, yes, but you know the saying: true lovers always quarrel."

"That's not a saying."

"It is now."

"You're so strange. I'm at my ship now. I'll call you when I have him." Obi Wan's comm. link went off.

"Good thing you switched off visuals before he saw anything," Padmé sighed. "We would all be goners."

"Yes, well, that's my brilliant thinking for you." Connan brushed her hair aside as she opened the Nubian doors. "Let's go."

They settled into two rickshaws, pulled along by a droid. R2-D2 wheeled himself behind them. They came up to Watto's old store and Connan shuddered.

"I hope this guy remembers me."

"I thought you said you didn't like him." Carth answered.

"Oh, I don't. I hope he remembers me so I can start a fight." Carth laughed, rubbing Connan's head. He helped her out of the rickshaw.

"Wait right there," She told it as Anakin said the same to his.

"**Okey-okey." **It answered.

"**Da wanga!" **Watto screamed at a droid as it left.

"**Chut-chut, Watto." **Anakin said.

"**How are you today?" **Connan added. Watto looked Anakin up and down, familiarity running through his expression.

"**Let me help you with that." **Anakin took the droid head the Toydarian was working on.

"**What? What do you want?" **Watto asked.

"**Shut up." **Connan sneered.

"**Wait, you guys are Jedi!" **Watto exclaimed. Connan rolled her eyes.

"I love the smell of obvious in the morning." She said drolly to Carth. **"Duh!"**

"**Whatever it is, I didn't do it." **Watto instantly stated.

"**Oh, but maybe you _wanted _to have done it." **Connan egged him on, a smile on her face. **"You knew deep inside that you would have a chance at it, but you never took it. It still counts if you think of it."**

"**What are you talking about?" **Watto asked.

"**The same thing you are." **Connan smiled. **"Absolutely nothing."**

Anakin shot a glare at Connan as he continued to fix the droid head.

"**I'm looking to Shmi Skywalker." **Anakin said. Watto squinted.

"Ani?" Watto said, switching to Basic. "Little Ani?" Anakin set down the droid head, newly fixed. "You _are _Ani! It is you!" He laughed. "You sure sprouted, huh? _Whee-hoo! _A Jedi! Whaddya know? Hey, maybe you could help me with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money."

"Cut the chat, Watto. Get Shmi out for us and we won't dismember you." Connan growled.

"Oh, yeah…. Shmi…." A rock plummeted to the bottom of Connan's stomach. From the way he was talking and the sudden fear that spread through him, Shmi wasn't in his possession any longer.

"Uh… She's not mine-a no more-a. I sold her." He said. Connan rushed Watto, and Carth held her back.

"What?" She shouted.

"You sold her?" Anakin asked.

"Years ago." Watto went on.

"Sorry, Ani, but you know business is business, huh?" Watto chuckled.

"I'll dismember you anyway!" Connan made another attempt to lunge at Watto, but Carth held her back.

"No, no no no no." Watto backed up. "I sold her to a moisture farmer named, uh, Lars. At least I think it was Lars. Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her! Can you beat that?" Connan glanced at Padmé, whose worried expression stared at Anakin. He looked full of despair.

"Do you know where they are now?" Connan asked.

"Ooh, long way from here." Watto insisted. "Someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisely, I think."

"I'd like to know." Anakin said, his voice on the verge of a growl.

"Eh, sure, absolutely!" Watto agreed. "Let's go look at my records, huh?" He wafted into his store.

-----

"Stay with the ship, R2." Connan said, pointing at the droid. It beeped its complaints and stopped where it was.

The moisture farmer's house was a small hut. It was probably built underground so it would be cooler, but it still seemed small on the outside. Next to it laid a huge crater where they planted things, and beyond that was a big metal circle in the ground.

Standing not sixty feet from the front of the house was a dull-looking droid.

"Oh!" It said. "Um, uh, hello."

"He seems familiar…." Connan racked her brain. Where had she seen him before?

"How might I be of service? I am C—"

"—3PO!" Connan and Anakin finished for the droid. Connan snapped her fingers. _That _was the annoying droid with no plating on it from when Anakin was a small boy.

"Oh? Um…."

"Kind of slow for a droid, don't you think?" Carth asked.

"He's no HK, that's for sure." Connan answered.

"The maker!" 3PO finally realized who Anakin was. "Oh, Master Ani, I knew you would return! I knew it! And Miss Padmé, oh my! And Miss Connan, as well. Where is the infernal machine of death?"

"HK didn't feel like coming." Connan played. "He was frightened about getting any more Gungan slobber in his sockets."

"Bless my circuits! I'm so pleased to see you all!"

"I've come to see my mother." Anakin said.

"Oh. Um, I think perhaps we'd better go indoors." C3PO ushered the four inside.

The huge crater in the ground _was _a storage room for plants, Connan realized.

"Master Owen, might I present four most important visitors." C3PO was saying. Owen wasn't that hansom. Not as hansom as Carth, anyway. He was definitely shorter, and he looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days. His hair would stay in one spot. Connan wanted to pour jell all over it and make it stay in place.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker. This is Padmé, Connan, and Carth." Anakin said.

"Owen Lars." Owen said. "This is my girlfriend, Beru."

Beru was a lot cuter. Her blonde hair was twisted behind her head and her light blue eyes shone on everyone. Connan liked her.

"Hello," Beru said.

"I guess I'm your stepbrother." Owen shrugged sheepishly. "I had a feeling you might show up someday."

"Is Shmi here?" Connan asked.

"No, she's not."

A man in a wheelchair came wheeling up to the group. He was even shaggier than Owen.

"Cliegg Lars. Shmi is my wife." He shook Anakin's hand. "We should go inside. We have a lot to talk about."

-----

Connan and Carth sat on one side of the table while Anakin and Padmé sat on the other. Cliegg sat at one of the ends and Owen sat at the other. Beru brought tea to the people and stood behind Owen.

"It was just before dawn. They came out of nowhere."

The rock swelled up in Connan's stomach and seemed to move to her throat. So it _was _Sand People who took Shmi.

"A hunting party of Tuskan Raiders. Your mother had gone out early like she always did, to pick mushrooms that grow on the vaporators." Cliegg stopped to rub his nose. "From the tracks, she was about halfway home when they took her.

"Those Tuskans walk like men, but they're vicious, mindless monsters. Thirty of us came after her, four came back. I'd be out there with them, but after I lost my leg, I just couldn't ride anymore un—until I heal." He paused, looking at Anakin's lost look.

"I don't want to give up on her, but she's been gone a month. There's little hope she lasted this long."

Anakin stood abruptly, turned, and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Owen asked.

"To find my mother." Anakin answered.

"Your mother's dead, son. Accept it." Cliegg suggested.

-----

Connan liked watching the suns set at the top of the hut. It was small enough so she could wrap her legs around the sides and not have to do the splits, but she didn't have to worry about falling off. She sat with her bag in front of her, a lightsaber in hand. It was one of her spare ones, in case something happened to her good ones. She opened up the bottom and took out the crystals in it.

At that time, Padmé came outside to talk to Anakin, whom Connan had been watching. He stood just in front of the crater, watching the colors the two suns made at the set.

"You're gonna have to stay here." He told her. "These are good people, Padmé. You'll be safe."

"Anakin—" Padmé hugged Anakin tightly. Connan slipped her backpack on and slid off of the roof.

"I won't be long." Anakin made his way to the speeder.

"Ani." Connan beckoned. She jogged to the speeder. "Good luck."

"Thanks." He said.

"Don't listen to what Cliegg said. I'm afraid that Shmi _is _still alive. I'm also afraid that his views of Sand People are wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Yes. There was a time when a friend of mine—Mission—came to be for help. She said she wanted to find her brother. So, long story short, I helped her look. We found he'd been taken by Sand People. We found a way to communicate with them and we found a peaceful way to getting her brother back. They're not mindless, and they're not monsters. They have a way to govern their people. They're very smart."

"What happened?"

"Oh, I saw something shiny in a box and opened it. They thought I was stealing their stuff and we ended up killing all the men anyway." Connan blushed. "That was my fault." Anakin laughed.

"Here." Connan handed Anakin the lightsaber she's been working on. "Take it from me. One won't be enough."

Anakin nodded and took off.

-----

Connan was in a very bad mood by the time dinner was over. Carth could tell. There was no apparent reason for it. When he asked her about it, she's snap at him.

"It's nothing!" She'd say.

"It's _something_. You didn't want to touch anything on your plate." Carth reasoned. They sat next to each other at the table. Padmé sat on the other side, staring blankly at Connan.

"_I'm _not the angry one!" Connan stood, jabbing a finger into her chest. "It's Anakin! The poor boy doesn't realize that he's really, _really _angry. So _I'm _really, _really _angry."

"Don't take it out on me." Carth asked.

"I'm not taking it out on you!" Connan raged. "I'm not taking it out on anyone!"

"Ummm…." Beru came into the room sheepishly. "Do any of you want tea?"

"Please." Connan said nicely, with a smile. She whirled on Carth. "See!? It's not _me_! _I'm _perfectly fine! Force!"

"Okay, okay, okay," Carth held Connan. "You're fine, I get it. It's not you, it's Anakin. He's been gone for a few hours now."

"He's been angry the whole time." Connan fought to control her tone. "And I don't like it. I don't like feeling this angry." She sighed. Carth began massaging her shoulders. Suddenly, Connan jumped up.

"I'm going to help Beru in the kitchen." She said happily. Carth raised an eyebrow. Something was wrong. A second ago she was furious with the world because Anakin was. And now she was as happy and when they left Naboo.

Before he could comment, Connan turned to make her way to the kitchen. Then, in mid step, she froze. Her muscles tensed up and her body went rigid. Her fingers stiffened and her eyes bulged. She paled.

At once Carth knew what happened. Without another thought he leapt up and dove underneath Connan, catching her as she fell over. Padmé fell to the ground next to them, feeling Connan's forehead. It burned her skin.

"Beru!" Carth called. Beru came in and gawked.

"Oh, gods!" She whispered.

"Get water." Carth ordered. "Now!" Beru took off. "C3PO!"

The droid came in and stared at Connan.

"Oh, my. Is that—"

"Not now, 3PO. I need you to translate anything she says that's not in Basic." Carth said, rubbing Connan's cheeks. She shut her eyes and groaned.

"**Anakin! Anakin! Noooo!" **The voice wasn't Connan's. It was a male's. But it was coming from Connan's mouth.

"That sounded like Quai-Gon Gin!" Padmé said.

Beru came with the water and a rag. Carth draped the soaking wet rag over Connan's forehead, which was heating up by the second.

"What is—"

"Shush." Carth ordered. "I'll explain in a second."

He knew what was happening. Something inside Anakin had snapped and he was hurting. Horribly. This was affecting Connan. But it wouldn't be this bad unless something else was happening, too.

Connan began to talk in a strange language. It sounded like she had many voices at once. Carth recognized the frenzied speech of Tuskan Raiders.

"Oh, my." C3PO sounded shocked. "This doesn't sound good."

"What is she saying?" Carth asked. C3PO hesitated. "Tell me."

"She's speaking in a primitive Sand People dialect. It's many different voices at once, and I can't catch every single one of them."

"Then tell me what you _can _get!" Carth grew testy.

"She's saying, 'Where'd he come from?', 'He's killing our men!', 'Hide the women and children!', and, oh, _my_…. 'He's after everyone!'"

At once, Connan stopped talking. She opened her eyes and gasped for breath.

"I—what—who—"

"Calm down, Connan." Carth said, pushing her back onto the ground. He dabbed her face with the rag. "You're burning up."

"I—I don't remember—"

"Beru, could you go get Owen?" Carth picked Connan up and carried her out of the room.

"Carth, what happened?" She asked.

"Your Force Precognition kicked you very hard." Carth answered. "It looks like Anakin's been doing something active."

"Oh no." Connan shook her head. "What did I do?"

"You were just speaking in Tuskan Raider. And I think Padmé said that Quai-Gon said something." Carth turned into a spare room and set Connan down on the bed.

"You wanted something?" Own came into the room suddenly. "Beru said Connan had an attack."

"Of some sorts." Connan shrugged.

"I need a fan." Carth said. Owen shrugged.

"Sure. We have tons around here. I'll go find one."

Carth sat on the side of the bed and placed a hand on Connan's forehead once more. It was less hot, but it was still very warm.

"Did I scare you?" Connan asked. Carth nodded. Connan chuckled. "I think I scared myself."

"Do you remember any of it?" He asked.

"I don't know what I said."

"But you saw something?"

"I saw Shmi as she died. I saw Anakin get mad and start annihilating the Sand People."

"Ouch."

"That's what I said." Carth kissed her nose.

"Get some sleep." He said, standing. Connan caught his arm.

"Don't leave." She insisted.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be here." Carth answered. "I'll wake you in the morning."

Connan blacked out.

-----

Connan sat in the room full of technology with Carth. You couldn't really call the room a tech room, or even a control room, since it was way too small for anything you need for one of those.

Connan and Carth were working on one of Carth's blasters. They were also watching Anakin as he fixed Connan's lightsaber. It seems that he dented the hilt when he slammed it into the head of an armored Sand Person.

Padmé walked in with some food for the boy, since he didn't come in for lunch. She walked hesitantly up to him and waited.

"I brought you something." She said meekly. "Are you hungry?"

"I broke Connan's lightsaber." Anakin answered instead. "Life seems so much simpler when you're fixing things." Padmé set the tray down next to him. "I'm good at fixing things. Always was. But I couldn't—" He didn't finish. "Why did she have to die? Why couldn't I save her? I know I could have."

"Sometimes there are things no one can fix." Padmé insisted. "You're not all-powerful, Ani."

"Well I should be!" He snarled. "Someday I will be. I will be the most powerful Jedi ever!" He turned to Padmé. "I promise you. I will even learn to stop people from dying."

Connan had a distinct feeling that that would come up again.

"Anakin." Padmé sounded shocked.

"It's all Obi Wan's fault!" Anakin cried. "He's jealous. He's holding me back!" Anakin threw the wrench he was holding.

_Wow_, Connan thought. _Am I the _only _Jedi _ever _to think that I was never held back?_

"What's wrong, Ani?" Padmé asked, stepping toward him. Anakin stared at his hands.

"I—I killed them." Anakin confessed. "I killed them all. They're dead. Every single one of them." Connan nodded. She knew this was coming. "And not just the men. But the women… and the children, too. They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals! I hate them!"

Connan could relate. Her father had been the ultimate demise of _her _mother.

Connan watched as Anakin sank to the ground and started sobbing. Padmé followed him.

"To be angry is to be human." She whispered.

"I'm a Jedi." He stated. "I know I'm better than this."

Connan stood, pulling Carth out of the room.

"Let's not stick around." She whispered.

"Yeah. Besides, we have to get ready for the funeral."

-----

Cliegg was saying his piece, which was last, for the funeral.

"I know wherever you are it's become a better place." He said. "You were the most loving partner a man could ever have." He dabbed at a tear. "Good-bye, my darling wife. And thank you."

Anakin knelt in front of the grave and clutched to some dirt.

"I wasn't strong enough to save you, Mom. I wasn't strong enough. But I promise I won't fail again." He said, sprinkling the dirt over the grave. "I miss you…so much."

The sounds of R2-D2 ruined the sadness of the funeral.

"R2?" Padmé asked. "What are you doing here?"

R2-D2 began beeping frantically. Connan dropped her jaw.

"Well, Force, why didn't he just—Oh, I swear!" Connan took off running to the Nubian.

"It seems that the droid is carrying a message from on Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hmmm. Master Ani, does this name mean anything to you?" C3PO asked. Connan didn't hear anything else. She forced open the Nubian and bolted inside. Anakin and Padmé were soon behind her, with Carth bringing up the rear.

"Anakin," The transmission said. "My long-range transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant."

Padmé pressed a button so they could forward the message.

"I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries in Geonosis. The Trade Federation is to take delivery of a droid army here, and it's clear the Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala. The Commerce Guilds and the Corporate Alliance have both pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming a—wait. Wait." Something was firing at Obi Wan, and soon he was knocked unconscious.

_Droid dekkas!_

Suddenly Master Windu was on the screen in front of them.

"Anakin, we will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your first priority."

"Understood, Master." Windu whirled on Connan.

"And _you_." He said.

"Me? I'm surprised you even remembered I'm here." Connan said nonchalantly.

"Don't do anything that will compromise Anakin's mission." Connan shrugged.

"Understood." Windu disappeared.

Connan moved to the front of the ship and turned it on.

"What are you doing?" Anakin asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked. "I'm making the ship go to Geonosis."

"They'll never get there in time to save him." Padmé defended Connan, helping her with controls. "They have to come halfway across the galaxy. Look. Geonosis is less than a parsec away."

"So here we go!" Connan threw a fist into the air.

"You just told Windu you wouldn't do anything to put Anakin's mission in danger!" Carth said, astounded. "Since when do you lie nowadays?"

"I didn't lie." Connan answered. "I said I understood, and I do. I never said I would comply." Carth rolled his eyes.

"You and your literacy."

"If he's still alive," Anakin shot in.

"Are you just going to sit here and let him die?" Padmé asked.

"He's your friend, your mentor, he's like—"

"He's like my father!" Anakin finished. "But you heard Master Windu. He gave me strict orders to stay here!"

"No…." Connan said. Padmé beamed, as if knowing what Connan was saying.

"He gave you strict orders to protect me." Padmé countered.

"And we're going to Geonosis!" Connan finished.

"If you plan to protect me, you'll just have to come along." Padmé winked at him.

"I'm not worried, R2," C3PO was saying as he took a seat. "It's just I've never flown before."

Connan got the feeling it wouldn't be the last time he'd be flying.

Connan steered the ship up into the air and set the coordinates for Geonosis.

"Hang on, Obi Wan." She whispered. "We're coming.

-----

**Yay! I finished! I'm so happy! Sorry I didn't update last week. The time got ahead of me and I couldn't catch up. If my report card goes well, I should be back next week.**

**I'm on chapter 38 and I'm 1:35:29 of the way through. It's only about forty-nine chapters long, guys, so I'm getting closer to the end! Please review, and have a good week!**

**P.S. I did post this yesterday. It didn't take. Sorry!**


	10. Execution

**Execution**

Connan sighed, staring at Anakin as he gazed longingly out the window. The starts that passed by lit up his eyes.

"What's wrong, Ani?" She asked.

"I was thinking about my mother." Anakin answered, turning to meet Connan's eyes. "I just can't believe she's gone."

"But look on the bright side…. At least she's not in pain anymore," Connan argued. "And you got to say good-bye to her."

"You didn't get to say good-bye to your mother?" Connan shook her head.

"Nope. In _either _life, since she died the same way in both."

"What happened?"

Connan hesitated, enfolding her hands into Carth's, who sat right beside her.

"Let's start out by saying that my father _was _a very kind man. He had a wife and a child and a perfect farm house on Sajor."

"But Sajor has been—"

"Don't tell me that!" She smiled. "I don't want to know what happened to Sajor." She went on. "Now that I look back on it, I think I might be just like you."

"How do you mean?" Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Because the last time I came here and we were heading _back _to Naboo to defeat the Trade Federation, Quai Gon and I got bored and decided to take my Midi Chlorian count. Well…. the computer broke."

"You had too much Midi Chlorian? Is that even possible?" Anakin sounded awe-struck.

"I have no clue." Connan shrugged. "But I mean that our counts are so high, we were most likely immaculately conceived. You've never had a father; Shmi told me so when we first met you. So this had to happen for my mother to get pregnant. It makes sense, because my father had an accident and couldn't have anymore children."

"But couldn't your mother have just—"

"Cheated? If you knew my mother, you'd know she'd never be capable of that. She's too nice. Anyway, when my father heard that she was pregnant, he _assumed _she'd been cheating. My mother loved my father, but after this, something inside him snapped.

"He began to despise my mother, and only stayed with her because my sister wanted them to stay together. But he also hated me. I was _born _knowing that my father hated every cell in my body."

Carth hated hearing Connan retell her childhood before the Jedi. It made him glad that Kreia came into the story sooner or later to save the day. He squeezed Connan's hand tighter for support.

"He began to mistreat my mother." Connan continued. "It started slow. Every now and then he'd slap her, bang her head into the wall, kick her…. But then they got worse, and he developed and addiction to beating her.

"I hated watching it. And oh, he would make me watch. He'd blame it on me. He's kick her ribs while she was on the ground and point at me, screaming, 'this is _your _fault, you filthy little bastard!' and would keep kicking."

Anakin stared, wide-eyed, as Connan kept telling her story. Padmé too was wrapped inside the account.

"Then, one day, I couldn't take anymore. I had found a flash mine in a shop a few days before and stole it when the keeper wasn't looking. I attached it to my hand and waited, because I knew it was coming. He came into the room, holding my mother by the hair and started slapping her. I lunged at him and placed the mine onto his back.

"The room went white. No one could see anything. A fist collided with my skull and I went unconscious. I woke up in a med bay with a woman sitting next to my bed. This would later be my first Jedi Master, Kreia. She told me that my father had whirled around and tried to get me off of him, but when he did I hit the table with my head. I had a serious concussion."

"So what happened with your parents?"

"They were in the med bay, too. We stayed there for a few days before _it _happened."

"Before what?" Padmé asked, her voice barely audible.

"My father pulled a blaster on me. He said it was my fault any of this happened and he was going to put a stop to it. When he shot at me, my mother threw herself in the way."

"Oh," Anakin suddenly felt immensely sorry for Connan. She smiled.

"Don't you go feeling pity for me, Ani. I neither need it nor want it. What happens happens and we can't do anything about it. What I was _trying _to point out, anyway, was that you led a happy life with your mother in the short time that you could and you had the chance to say good-bye to her." Connan said. "I didn't mean for this to turn into a whole sob-story."

"Look." Carth changed the subject quickly. "Geonosis." All attention was firmly pulled away from Connan.

It was a rocky planet. Connan didn't like rocky planets. The rocks got _everywhere_.

"See those columns of steam straight ahead?" Padmé asked. "They're exhaust vents of some type." Anakin shrugged, taking the steering wheel.

"That'll do." Anakin parked the ship in the steam.

Padmé stood and reached for her jacket, whirling on Connan and Anakin.

"Look, whatever happens out there, follow my lead. I'm not interested in getting into a war, here. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess." She ordered. Connan beamed.

"Don't worry," Anakin reassured her. "I've given up trying to argue with you."

"And you, too, Connan." Carth pressed.

"But my fingers are itching!" Connan whined.

"Then play your flute."

"Oh, why of _course_! We can _serenade _them into peace talks!"

Carth pushed Connan outside the ship.

-----

Anakin pushed a button and the door opened in front of them just as Connan stopped running to catch up. She ran under the door as it closed behind them.

"Well," She said, "no turning back now."

In front of them lay a huge corridor. They slowly made their way down the metal pathway.

Something seemed strange to Connan. You'd think that the people would know the Jedi were coming, since they caught Obi Wan in the middle of a transition. So why was no one in their way? Something was wrong.

Then she heard it. There was movement behind them. Anakin and Padmé slowed to a stop just as Carth and Connan did.

"Wait." Anakin said. Connan wrapped her hands around two lightsabers. In an instant, she and Anakin whirled around and struck at the things sneaking up behind them.

"Run!"

They were some sort of bug-like creature. They moved like they had arthritis in every joint they had. It was no trouble at all to slash through their defenses. Connan and Anakin took off after Padmé and Carth, who had just gotten through the doorway.

For some reason they stopped. Connan looked in front of them. The pathway stopped a few feet out from the door way. They turned to go back. The door shut and the path was receding.

Padmé fell off and onto the conveyor belt below.

"Padmé!" Anakin screamed.

"Oh, no." Connan leapt off after her.

"Connan!" Carth called. He and Anakin jumped off some yards behind the two women, and the bugs had already set themselves upon Anakin. He unsheathed his lightsaber and began fighting.

-----

"Connan?" Padmé sounded desperate. The conveyor belt in front of them began smashing the golden metal into insignias, and they were headed straight for it.

"Damn!"

She held onto Padmé's arm and jerked her when needed. "Run!" She'd shout, and they'd run underneath while the machine was preparing to crush more metal. Then she'd pulled her to a halt until the next one came up.

"Jump!"

The bugs surrounded them. Connan's lightsabers were out in a flash and a second later the bugs around them were dead. Then another swarm of them came rushing past. She took out most of them, but one shoved Padmé off of the conveyor belt. She landed in a huge pot.

"Padmé!" Connan just after her. The bugs got in her way and threw her backwards. Connan flipped over and struck out at one.

"You want a fight? Fine." Connan ran to catch up with the huge pot that Padmé was in, striking down the insects that got in her way.

A large pair of tongs grabbed a hold of the pot Padmé was in and took off with it, so Connan had to change which belt she ran on to keep up. She leapt up onto a catwalk and began running for a computer.

There was liquid metal being poured into the pots. Padmé was going to be melted. Panicked, Connan slid in front of the console just as R2-D2 turned off his jet pack and settled down. It beeped its compliance with her.

"Good R2. We've got to turn this off. Can you do it?"

R2-D2 examined the console and the pots and beeped an answer. Connan nodded.

"I can give you time." She stood, holding a hand in the air and stared a hole into the piece of machinery which held Padmé captive.

The wire which moved the pots along groaned, and the process slowed. The pots took a longer time to get to the spout which poured out the liquid metal. Padmé's came up in two turns, so if she could slow it down enough, R2-D2 could stop it in time.

The repercussions of putting blocks in the way of such large machinery with the Force were giving Connan a massive headache. Her eyes felt like they'd explode, her teeth gritted together to hard she thought they some of them had cracked. Her shoulders were getting heavier, she couldn't hold on much longer….

The machine turned off. Connan yanked the Force out from under it quickly. The pressure in her head and eyes died down, her teeth were perfectly normal, and her shoulders were lighter.

"Good job, R2!" She patted the droid on his top. He beeped and turned something on inside the console.

Connan gasped. The pot which held Padmé dropped.

"No!" Connan jumped off the catwalk after her.

Padmé rolled out onto a huge platform just as Connan dropped next to her. Connan pulled Padmé up.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Padmé insisted. "When I was in that thing…. You made the machines slow down, didn't you?" Connan beamed.

"The power of the mind it fascinating, isn't it?"

The bugs swarmed over Padmé and Connan again. Connan threw her lightsabers in the air and brought four bugs down before she caught them again. The bugs surrounded the two women.

"**Surrender." **One said.

"Why _ever _would I do that?" Connan asked.

"What? You can understand them?" Padmé asked.

"It's a different form of Rakata." Connan explained before she remembered that the Rakata probable died out thousands of years ago. "That planet's not so far from here."

"**Surrender and we will not kill you now."**

"**Ah, but I surrender and you will kill us later." **Connan said defiantly in their language.

"Connan, just do it. There are other times for this." Padmé said. "Put away your swords."

Connan looked down and saw Carth and Anakin with their hands in the air. A man in a familiar uniform had a blaster to their heads.

_Ah, the Fetts, _Connan thought. _Never a dull moment._

Connan sighed and tucked her blue lightsabers away under her robes.

-----

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Connan shrugged, twisting her wrists around in her handcuffs.

"So bad?" Carth sighed in disbelief. "So bad?"

"Maybe….Maybe they'll only drop us in oil, or maybe they'll make us fight a rancor; that would be nice. It's been a while since I've fought a rancor."

"Will you stop acting like this is _no big deal_?"

"It's _not _a big deal."

"We're going to die!"

"So you say. Whoever said that I didn't think ahead? That I have in fact picked the lock off of my cuffs and am now awaiting a moment to strike?"

"Have you?"

"No."

"Then stop giving me false hope!"

"I never said it was false hope." Connan shifted the wait from one leg to another. The rickshaws that she and the others were stuffed into were really small. "Besides, I'm just speculating what they're going to do to us. There are a lot of things that could go wrong."

"Oh, yes, do tell, Ms. I-Know-All-About-Torture!" Carth growled.

"Well, you _are _talking to the greatest Sith Lord since Exar Kun."

"You knew Exar?"

"Oh, Exar was my _idol!"_

"What's this _Exar _got that I don't have?"

"Finesse." Connan giggled. "I had holopics of his all across my room; just ask Kreia when we meet her."

"You mean when we _die_?"

"Actually I meant when Yoda summons her again for us, but your way is good, too."

"You're a beacon of sunshine, you know that?" Carth asked, smiling. Connan beamed.

"That I do, love. That I do."

Anakin chuckled under his breath. They were going to their death and those two were arguing! Although at the end it seemed more like flirting. He heard Padmé give the same reaction.

"Those two…."

Anakin was pained by the fear in her voice.

"Don't be afraid," He pleaded. Padmé hesitated, suddenly becoming serious.

"I'm not afraid to die." She paused. "I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I love you." Padmé whispered. Anakin seemed shocked.

"You love me?" He breathed heavily. "I thought that we had decided not to fall in love…. That we would be forced to live a lie, and that it would destroy our lives."

"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway." Padmé admitted. Her face grew closer to his. "I truly, deeply, love you, and before we die, I want you to know."

And so they kissed. Anakin's lips met hers as the rickshaw rode off into the sunlight of the planet.

As Connan and Carth's rickshaw moved after theirs, Connan laid her head on Carth's shoulder.

"Poor kids. They're too young to be put through this kind of scare. A life is a valuable thing. To have it be put in jeopardy and not know if they'll come out with it or not is nerve-wracking." She said.

"They'll be fine." Carth told her.

"Yeah, I think I know what this is." She met Carth's quizzical glance. "This is an animal feast. They're going to tie us up and set wild animals on us." Carth laughed.

"They obviously don't know us very well, do they?"

"If we can survive the surface of Telos with nothing and with our hands tied behind our backs, we can survive this."

"Um, Connan? We never did it with our hands behind our backs."

"I know, but it makes it seem easier if you think that we did."

"Hey, Connan?" Carth nudged her.

"Yes?" Connan called under the deafening roar.

"There are four of us, right?" He asked.

"Yeah… why?"

"There are five pillars."

Connan looked. In the center of the arena they were heading into, there stood five pillars with chains on them. One of them already had an occupant.

"Obi Wan!" Connan cried. "You're alive!"

Obi Wan didn't look very happy.

"You brought the _children _with you?" He yelled. "Have you gone _mad?"_

"They didn't follow _me_, I followed _them_." Connan stuck her tongue out at him as the bug tied her hands to the long chain above her. She watched as they did the same thing with Carth. "And besides, my order from the Jedi Council was to guide Anakin in his mission, and how can I do that when we're on different planets? I _had _to make them tag along."

"You have a saving-people complex that we will address as soon as we get out of here _alive_!" Obi Wan ordered.

"I do _not _have a saving-people complex! I have a blowing-up-ships complex." Connan countered. "With only three people in my party."

"Good times," Carth added. Obi Wan rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Anakin.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd _gotten _my message." Obi Wan sneered.

"I retransmitted it just as you requested, Master." Anakin said obediently. "Then we decided to come and rescue you."

Obi Wan stared at Anakin, then at his own chains. "Good job."

"Am I the _only one _here who thinks that everything is okay?" Connan asked. Everyone stared at her skeptically. "Then you're all pessimists."

The Lord of the Flies came out of the huge hole in the wall in front of them, along with a human in all black. Connan didn't like him.

"Is that Count Dooku?" She asked. Obi Wan nodded.

"**Settle down! Settle down!" **The Bug Lord said. The roar of the crows of spectators grew quiet. **"Let the executions begin!"**

Five doors opened. Five wild animals came out, one for each pillar, one for each human. The one facing Anakin was a large red animal with three horns. It roared fiercely. In the door facing Obi Wan, a huge, six-legged animal ran through, ripping through one of the Geonosian guards as he went. He looked like a spider. Carth's animal was exactly like Padmé's, a peach-colored feral animal. They looked like a mix between a Kath Hound and a Cannok, but flattened. They had spikes all up and down their backs.

So why, oh _why _did Connan get stuck with the last monster? She looked at it and shot a glance at Carth, who stared at her with alarm.

"All the most dangerous animals in the world and they sic _this one _on me!" She screamed. "Honestly, does _everyone _want my head on a platter?"

No way, no way in any kind of _hell _would she want to fight that tarentatek.

Padmé was picking at her handcuffs and Connan set to work on Carth's. Picking locks with hair pins was a lot easier than doing it with the Force, but you have to work with what you have to work with.

Finally Connan heard a _snap _and Carth jerked his cuffs off. Connan watched as he and Padmé scaled their chains to the top of their pillars.

"Just relax, concentrate." Obi Wan told her and Anakin. His animal jabbed a sharp leg at him and Obi Wan dodged, making the animal hit his chain. It came loose.

Anakin's animal charged him. Anakin jumped onto his back and wrapped his chain around one of the horns, making the chain break at the top.

Connan was left staring down the tarentatek.

"You'd think I've killed enough of you things already, but _no_, you've got to fraking come _back _every couple of decades or so!" She screamed at it, working at her wrists. She had no time to unhook her chains using the Force, so she did the next best thing.

She held her hands in front of her and shut her eyes. She focused on the handcuffs.

They exploded.

The tarentatek cried out as Connan's hands became free, and she felt a wave of pain. Her arm was bleeding, and her hands were burned from where she had made the cuffs burst. Connan shook her hands and stared at the tarentatek.

It was rubbing its eyes and looked extremely angry. Green blood gushed from its face. Connan had made the handcuffs fly into the tarentatek's eyes. It was blinded.

Connan jumped to the side, dodging both a hit from the enraged and sightless tarentatek and from Obi Wan's monster, which had just stuck out at her. She came to her feet and tackled Carth's monster, which was scaling the pillar after him.

Jumping up once again, Connan flipped over backward, avoiding being hit by the tarentatek, which was now _listening _for its target.

A Geonosian rode by with his long pointy stick and Connan leapt for the opportunity. She grabbed the stick and took it from the Geonosian, lodging it into the tarentatek and pulling it back out before any lasting damage could ensue to her only weapon.

A _thud _came from behind the tarentatek so the animal whirled around. Carth stood with his chain and handcuffs in his hands. He threw one side to Connan and they began running around the tarentatek. They entangled it and it dropped to the ground. Connan drove her long stick into the thing's neck. It gurgled and died.

"Are you all right?" Carth asked, pulling her hands up to him and inspecting the burns.

"I'm fine." She insisted. They ran for Anakin, who had forced his animal into submission, and jumped on after him, Padmé, and Obi Wan.

_Droid dekkas _rolled into the arena as they were trying to leave. Connan stared in disbelief.

"This is going to hurt." Connan said. "Everyone, if help doesn't come, keep still." She began working on a Force field.

"Connan, that's too many blaster shots at close range for you to handle." Carth scolded.

"I have to try." She looked up. "Wait. Someone's here."

A lightsaber went off in the balcony. Lightsabers all around the arena unsheathed and the bug-people took off into the air.

"That must be Windu up there!" Anakin said. The _droid dekkas _disappeared as the droid army poured into the arena. Windu flew off of the balcony, his Jedi robes on fire and something in his hands. He threw it at Connan.

"I think this is yours," He called. She caught it.

Her sack! She pulled out her lightsabers and two blasters for Carth and leapt off of the animal, diving into the middle of the droid army.

Connan couldn't see her hands. One second they would be deflecting a blaster shot and the next they'd be in the middle of a droid. All she knew was that she was in the middle of a life-or-death fight, and that _thrilled _her. She hadn't been in a full-scale battle since Dantooine!

Then she found herself in a lot of trouble. The droid army was thinning out and a certain person wearing a jet-pack flew down to her.

"Well, well, well…." Jango Fett crossed his arms. "I didn't believe the Count when he said that Revan was still alive."

"Believe it, kid." Connan said, still fighting the droids.

"It's been a fantasy of the Fetts for _generations _that one day Revan would could back and we would have the pleasure of capturing you." Without warning, he shot at Connan. She leapt backward quickly.

"Honestly, I've had enough of this." She groaned. She charged Jango, sending his blaster shots right back at him. She cut off his blaster arm and swung her lightsaber around, cutting off his head.

"How many of you do I have to kill before you leave me alone?" She asked the corpse.

They were trapped. The droid army was forming a tight circle around what was left of the Jedi. Connan and Carth stood side-by-side, deflecting shots and firing at people. What had started out as countless droids against a hundred Jedi was now countless droids against fourty Jedi, an Admiral and a Senator.

Count Dooku held up his hand and the droids stopped firing. The Jedi cautiously held down their sabers, but didn't restrict them.

"Master Windu, you have fought gallantly." Count Dooku trumpeted. "Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Now, it is finished." He stared at Connan, now. "Surrender and your lives will be spared."

"We will _not_ be hostages to be bartered, Dooku!"

Even Connan was surprised that it was her own voice which rang out. Everyone turned to stare at her.

_Well, _she thought. _Might as well finish what I started._

"You think that if we wanted to do something so _cowardly_, we would have become Jedi? Do you think a simple battle means the _world _to us? You may win this battle, and you _may _even win the war, but I'll be _damned _if we let you do it without one hell of a struggle!"

It was only meant to tell him that they wouldn't surrender. Connan had no idea that what she said would have such an impact on everyone. The Jedi threw their sabers in the air, shouting cries of agreement. Even Master Windu and Master Adi-Mundi joined in.

"Way to go, beautiful." Carth whispered.

"Then, I'm sorry, old friends." Count Dooku said. The droids put their blasters back in ready position.

"We aren't dead yet, people!" Connan yelled. "While even one of us still stands, do _not _lose sight of the goal. Do _not _let your horizon be lost to you." Connan was pumping herself up. "While one breath is still taken, _do not put your saber down!"_

"YEAH!" Cried the crowd.

"Form a circle! Blasters in the middle!" Connan ordered. In an instant, Carth and Padmé were shoved into the center of a Jedi circle. "If someone goes down, close in the gap!" Shouts of agreement quickly aroused. "Aim the blaster shots you deflect at other droids. FOR THE REPUBLIC!"

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" The call spread through the circle like a virus, infecting everyone with confidence.

"If I knew you were this good at war, Connan," Windu whispered smartly. "I would have dragged you here myself."

"Yes, well, now we know better, don't we?"

Shots were fired, and sabers went up into the air. But the shots weren't aimed for the Jedi. They hit the droids.

"Look!" Padmé pointed skyward.

Dozens of ships bombarded the droid army with their shots, and suddenly the arena was once again ablaze with battle. The Jedi on the ground deflected shot after shot standing side-by-side. Carth and Padmé took shots at droids from behind Jedi lines.

The ships landed in a circle around the Jedi and everyone sprang for transportation. Connan threw Padmé into one of the crafts. Anakin leapt on after Padmé, with Obi Wan close behind. Carth stared at Connan before getting on.

"Just like ancient times, eh?" He asked, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Ancient for _them,_ maybe. It's only been a few weeks for us." She took his hand and dragged him on as the ship took off.

"Hold onto something!" Obi Wan called. Everyone grabbed to the ceiling. The ship started firing at large pods in the planet which were attacking them.

"Aim right above the fuel cells." Anakin called. They did, and the pod blew up.

"Way to go!" Connan congratulated.

"Good call, my young Padawan." Obi Wan agreed.

"We have to find Dooku!" Connan shouted as the ship landed for supplies. "If we don't, he'll get more planets to do what he wants."

"How do you know?" Obi Wan asked incredulously. Connan waved a hand in his face.

"Hello! Ex-Sith Lord here!"

"Oh, right." Obi Wan answered.

"Look, the Sith need supporters. If we attack him and he gets away he can use this as propaganda for the lesser-developed worlds that won't be able to hear the correct side of the story." Connan explained. Obi Wan nodded.

"Get us off the ground!" He yelled at their pilot. "Take us to the forward command center!"

"Yes, sir."

Connan stared, shocked, at the size of their army. There were perhaps _thousands upon thousands _of clones fighting. It didn't seem possible. _Ten years_—as long as Connan had been gone—was all it took to make such a vast army of super-humans. What if they turned? They could just as easily destroy the Republic as they could help it.

"Attack those Federation Starships! Quickly!" Connan snapped to the copilot. Four shots went off and blew up an ascending ship.

Connan felt cold. Her joints seized up and her body went rigid.

"Connan?" Carth asked. "Oh, Connan, not now!"

Connan's eyes went blank and she fell over. Anakin made a panicked grab for her and caught her before she fell out of the ship. He and Obi Wan laid her down.

"What's happened to her?" He asked. Obi Wan sighed.

"Ten years later and this is still happening?" He asked Carth.

"It's only been a few weeks to her." Carth corrected.

"What is going on?" Anakin repeated. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine." Obi Wan said. "It's her Force Precognition." Anakin's eyes widened.

"But no Force Precognition is _this_—"

"That's what I said ten years ago, but she still had them about Darth Maul… _and _our Sith Lord." Obi Wan said. "I don't remember her having any of them in front of you, so you'd have no recollection of it happening."

Connan saw the King Geonosian talking with Count Dooku in their hidden base.

"**I'm sending my warriors to hide in the catacombs. The Jedi must not find our designs for the ultimate weapon." **He said, turning off a projector before Connan could get a glimpse of it. **"If they find out what we're planning to recreate, we're doomed."**

The Geonosian handed a datapad to Count Dooku, who opened it for a moment, giving Connan plenty of time to stare at what they were building.

"**I will take the designs with me to Coruscant. They will be much safer there with my Master."**

Dread filled within Connan. She was thrown back to reality and sat up; feeling four sets of hands push her back down.

"Lay down, Connan. You might get sick." Carth insisted. Connan jerked away from him.

"I don't care!" She screamed. She leapt up and headed to the front.

"Tell Master Yoda to look for the Geonosian army in the catacombs!" She snarled.

"Connan, what's wrong?" Carth asked.

Oh, how could Connan have been so _stupid _all those years ago? Did she really think that just because she destroyed _her _copy of the blueprints Malak couldn't have made _another _one? Boy was she _stupid_!

"I'm an idiot." She said meekly. "Or rather, I _was _an idiot."

"It's something Revan did, isn't it?" Carth asked. Connan nodded.

"And it's coming back to bite me."

-----

**I might be stretching farther than I can reach, but oh well.**

**Look, guys. I got grounded again. This is my last update until mid-April. I can't keep my geometry grade up. That and I only passed the TAKS test by 96 points….**

**There's only three chapters left! Then I'll be onto number three! I'm going to actually update in the summer, so if there's an average of twelve chapters per episode and there's four episodes left plus the three chapters I have left to go…. That's…. I still have a whole _year _of Sunday updates left! Ah, what fun….**

**So right now I'm on chapter 44 and I'm 2:02:28 of the way through. See you guys in April! Please review!**


	11. Force

**Force**

Connan shrugged her anxiety off. No use worrying over something she couldn't control at the moment.

"What happened?" Padmé asked. "What's coming back to bite you?"

"Nothing," She lied, tightening the hold of her ponytail. She instantly smiled.

"How come I don't believe that?" Anakin tensed. Connan waved at him.

"It wasn't meant to be believed."

Carth shook his head. Connan was freaked about something. The tone of her voice said everything he needed to know about the subject. She'd seen something that she would probably wish later that she hadn't seen, and she didn't want to talk about it at the moment. Well, that was okay with him. He was fine not knowing what was wrong with her at a moment like this, when everyone needed to focus solely on winning the battle.

Connan watched as one of the starships near where Yoda's team had landed exploded and hit the ground forcefully. Dust launched from the debris and filled the air, clouding everyone's vision. She searched through the fog for any sign of Count Dooku.

Obi Wan pointed his lightsaber toward the front of the shuttle they resided in.

"Look over there,"

Count Dooku and two bodyguard shuttles raced across the dunes, specifically _away_ from the battle farther up. Dooku rode on a motorcycle while the two bodyguard ships were larger, yellow, and armed. Connan frowned.

"It's Dooku." She remarked.

"Shoot him down!" Anakin ordered.

"We're out of rockets, sir." The soldier at the front informed. Connan swore.

"Then beat him to wherever he's going!" She sounded cross.

"We're going to need some help!" Padmé pointed out.

"There isn't time!" Obi Wan countered. "We can handle this."

After a time the two bodyguard ships that were tracking with Dooku left him, going off on two different directions. They came up behind the shuttle which held everyone and began firing.

The ship began twisting and turning. Connan grabbed a hold of Carth, who kept a firm hold on the net above them holding the ammo. Obi Wan swayed about before he could find his grip. Anakin held onto the side of the ship.

The driver miscalculated where to run to and hit a dune hill, just at the time when one of the shots hit them. The ship lurched to one side, taking everyone by surprise. Connan dug her face into Carth's shoulder. Panicked—if only for a moment—Carth held tightly to the net above him, determined not to let go.

Padmé fell backward, bumping into one of the soldiers on the shuttle and falling completely out of the ship. She screamed. Anakin pushed his way through the soldiers and Obi Wan to try and catch her.

"Padmé!" Anakin sounded frantic. Connan turned and looked outside at Padmé roughly tumbled down a hill and finally stopped, unconscious.

"Put the ship down!" Anakin growled.

"Anakin," Connan warned. Obi Wan interrupted.

"Don't let your personal feelings get in the way!" Obi Wan turned toward the driver of the ship. "Follow that speeder!" He ordered.

"Lower the ship!" Anakin insisted. Connan hissed, rubbing her head. Why did she feel so angry? The only thing she remembered making her feel like this was Malak. And he was _long _dead by now.

"We can't take Dooku alone." Obi Wan admitted. Connan stifled a scoff. "We need you. If we catch him, we can end this war right now! We have a job to do."

"I don't care, put the ship down." Anakin demanded.

"Anakin," Connan called. They ignored her.

"You will be _expelled _from the Jedi Order!" Obi Wan shouted angrily.

"I can't leave her!" Anakin cried.

"Will you be _smart _for a second and _think_?!" Connan yelled. Both men went silent and stared at her. Carth chuckled. "What would Padmé do if she were in _your_ position, Ani?"

"She…She would do her duty." He admitted.

"Then do the same damn thing!" Connan suggested.

"What's wrong?" Carth asked her, tugging at her sleeve. "You seem much tenser than you were when you had the Precognition." Connan looked at him, rubbing her arms.

"I don't know." She finally answered. "Something's wrong, though. I feel it." She shuddered. "And it's not just _wrong_, it's a familiar wrong." Pain shot through her chest once more and she winced. "And it's aggravating me." Carth rubbed her shoulders encouragingly.

Dooku sped furiously into a hole in a mountain, landing on the outside platform made for bigger ships and stopping inside. He was trapped. The shuttle stopped near the platform and the four people leapt off, rushing inside.

Inside was a sort of hangar, and to the left of the doorway which the three Jedi and Carth ran into was a spherical ship. Count Dooku, standing with another man in front of a console for the hangar, turned. The man turned too. Count Dooku smiled, stepping behind the other man.

The pits of Connan's stomach churched. She pushed herself in front of everyone else and stared in blatant shock.

"No," She insisted, shaking her head. "No way. There's no way you could be here. You're dead; I killed you!"

"Who's that?" Anakin asked, protruding his lightsaber menacingly.

From the man no one knew came a metallic laugh, one that sent chills up Connan's spine.

"There's an unusual amount of Dark Side residue inside this man," Obi Wan commented. Carth set himself in front of Anakin and Obi Wan.

"Stay back." He whispered dangerously. "Don't get involved."

"Why won't anyone I actually _kill _stay dead?" Connan whined, throwing her hands in the air and spinning around. "This just isn't _fair_!"

"Well, _Revan_, you sure haven't lost your sense of drama." The man brushed his black cap across his shoulders and took a step forward.

"You certainly haven't lost your sense of bad taste." She answered crossly. "What _are _you wearing?"

"I've always worn this." The man retaliated. Connan shrugged, her face set in stone.

"And that's why it's tasteless, you mutinous windbag."

"Connan," Anakin whispered. "Who _is_ that?" Once again the cold-eyed man laughed, placing a hand to his chest and saying in a loud voice:

"I, dear Anakin Skywalker, am Darth Malak."

-----

"Malak?" Anakin repeated. "You can't possibly mean—"

"Yes, yes, childhood best friend, boyfriend, and enemy. All in that order." Connan rolled her eyes. "Now how did you get here, Metal-Mouth?"

"Same way you did," Malak shrugged. "They said I would have another chance at getting you back, and I took it."

"If I've told you once, I've told you a _thousand times_, Malak, I don't belong to you!"

"That's what you keep saying," Malak folded his arms. "But if I can beat you, you would come back to me, willingly or no." He pulled out a blaster before anyone could tell he had moved and shot at Connan.

Connan didn't move. She narrowed her eyes and grunted. The small beam of laser light which could have ripped through her stomach and killed her had stopped.

_Whoa, _Obi Wan thought. _Does she realize how much _power _it takes to stop a blaster shot with the Force?  
_

Connan grunted again and the shot changed direction, racing toward Malak. He dodged it, laughing maniacally.

"Very good!" He congratulated. Connan growled.

"Can you two handle Dooku?" She whispered. Anakin and Obi Wan nodded. "Good." Connan ignited one of her violet lightsabers and sprang toward Malak, who whipped out his own saber and countered, leaping away from Count Dooku. Malak climbed his way onto the catwalk ceiling, laughing and motioning Connan to follow.

She did.

-----

For a few minutes, all Obi Wan and Anakin did was pace around Dooku, who stood with a straight face. Carth hid behind the spherical ship, thinking it best to stay out of Jedi fights. Everyone ignored the frantic sounds of lightsaber crashes above them in the balcony.

"You're going to pay for all the Jedi you killed today, Dooku." Anakin promised.

"We'll take him together," Obi Wan whispered. "You go in slowly on the left."

"I'm taking him now!" Anakin ran toward Dooku.

"No, Anakin! No, no!" Obi Wan's warning was too late. Count Dooku had already raised his hand and shot a bolt of lightning out of it, electrocuting Anakin. The boy crashed into the wall beside him, knocked clean out.

It was just Obi Wan now, raising his lightsaber unsteadily to the far more advanced Sith.

-----

Connan attacked from the right, crashing her saber into Malak's. Just as suddenly as she had appeared, she disappeared and was found on his left, attacking just as quickly. Connan was holding nothing back. Malak seemed to think that the whole fight was hilarious, because he wouldn't stop laughing every time he blocked a strike from the furious woman.

"What's the matter?" He baited. "Lost your touch?"

"I haven't lost anything." Connan answered, twirling around and kicking Malak in the jaw. He flew backward.

Electric shock ran through Connan's body as she heard Anakin's scream from down below. She grimaced and hit her knees to the floor, holding her stomach.

And just as suddenly, the pain was gone. Connan looked over the side of the cat walk to see Anakin slumped over beside Dooku. Obi Wan made eye contact with her for a second and switched his focus onto Count Dooku. Panic had been in the man's eyes.

"_Don't panic." _She said in her mind. _"That's my job."_

Behind Connan came maniacal laughter. She turned around, sighing.

"_Oh, Force!"_

"Why didn't you stay dead, Malak?" She asked.

"Why, I don't know what you're talking about. The only time I've been near death is when I got my jaw blown off in the wars. And you saved me then." Malak answered. Connan rubbed her head, unenthused.

"What were you doing when the _Byssual _came and got you?" She asked dully.

"I was preparing to welcome you and your pathetic troupe onto the Star Forge so I could annihilate them and make you see the Darkness."

"Oh, I see the Darkness." Connan answered. She slashed at Malak once again, restarting their paused battle.

-----

Carth's attention switched back and forth between shaken form of Anakin near him and the battle going on atop the catwalk above everyone. He knew that Connan could feel what had happened to Anakin, and he was instantly worried about how she would fare against Malak now.

The man was a lunatic. He was obsessed with the idea of Revan and making Revan his. He thought he was in love with Revan, but he really was actually in love with her power. Why couldn't he see that she didn't like him _at all?_

When Connan had realized on the Leviathan that she was Revan and that Malak was intending to make her his once again, she freaked out. She was panicked when their team reached the Star Forge on that day. When she realized she had to face the man alone, Carth could see pure terror develop in her eyes. He knew that she was dreading even looking at that man. It made his blood boil to see her so scared of anything.

It also made him nervous. Even _after _Connan regained all of her memories from being Revan, she still flinched at the though of Malak loving her. It made Carth wonder what the man had actually done to Connan to make her so skittish of him.

Because Connan never was fazed my anything else. She was never scared of anything. She was never frightened or unnerved by anything else in the worlds. She even stared down the tarentatek hours before without batting an eyelash. Malak was the _only thing_ that made her flinch or recoil.

That angered Carth.

But he couldn't panic over that now. Connan was out of his reach, and he couldn't do anything about what they were doing up on the catwalk. When Connan got scared or unnerved, her fighting skills multiplied by the hundreds. She would stop at nothing to beat her opponent.

So Carth didn't have to worry over Connan losing the battle. Usually if a situation like this arose where both he _and _Connan could fight, he would be constantly worried about her, because she had to pick up on his slack, too. But when she was by herself, it was only a matter of time before the person she was fighting fell.

He had decided long ago that when battles came up when it was just Connan and her enemy, he wouldn't worry about her while she was fighting. It only ended up getting in her way.

He would panic over her _after _she killed Malak.

Again.

So what should he do in the meantime? It simply got on his nerves when he sat around doing nothing while everyone around him got a shot and being active. He took a quick glance up at Connan, who was standing on the edge of the catwalk and rubbing her temples. Then his gaze flickered to Obi Wan, who was nervously pacing around with Count Dooku.

Then he stared at Anakin. The boy was still unconscious, lying on the ground. Carth could see the sparks revolve around his body. He'd taken quite a shock. Without thinking, Carth bolted toward the boy.

Carth cringed when he got to the Jedi Padawan. He was in bad shape. There was steam coming out of his skin. Carth held Anakin's head up.

"Wake up, Ani." Carth murmured. "Come on, wake up."

Anakin squinted, muttering things under his breath. He opened his eyes and groaned.

"I feel terrible." He whispered. Carth chuckled.

"Here, take this; it should help." Carth reached for his spare medpac and administered it to Anakin. "Now, it should take a few minutes for it to take effect, so stay still and keep breathing."

Anakin gazed around the room, whimpering slightly as he saw Obi Wan battling Count Dooku. He raised his head and watched Connan in amazement.

"I can't see her arms," He gawked. Carth shrugged.

"She means business." He answered.

"How can she move her body so fast? And how can he retaliate?" Anakin seemed awestruck.

"She told me the answer to that, once. You'll have to ask her yourself when she kills him." He scratched his head. "Uhh…. Again."

-----

Obi Wan stared, mouth wide open, as Anakin dropped to the ground. Why hadn't the boy _listened_ to him? He never listened when the time called for him to.

Oh, well. It wouldn't do Obi Wan any good to fret over it now. He could feel the life inside of Anakin bubbling back to the surface, so his apprentice was all right. He was just knocked out. Obi Wan had bigger things to worry about at the moment, like trying to stave off the Count until help arrived.

"As you see," The Count commented, circling Obi Wan nonchalantly. Obi Wan raised his saber threateningly. "My Jedi powers are far beyond yours. Now…. Back down." Count Dooku held up his hand and lightning shot out of it again.

Obi Wan didn't think. He threw his saber in front of his face and caught the bolt before it could hit him. The lightning disintegrated in front of him.

"I don't think so," He replied. Count Dooku unsheathed his lightsaber. Like Darth Maul's, it was slightly different. It had a crook at the end, possibly used to keep the Count's grip firmly on the hilt of the saber.

_Well, _Obi Wan thought gratefully, _at least it's not double-bladed_.

He ran forward, striking at Count Dooku quickly. The series of complicated movements and techniques used on his part were easily deflected by the now-bored Count.

"Master Kenobi," Count Dooku teased, a wicked smile on his face. "You disappoint me. Yoda holds you in such high esteem."

Obi Wan's breathing became heavier. How was he going to survive against this accomplished man? This had been the one who had trained his old Master, Quai Gon. Count Dooku was technically his grandfather. He had so much more skill than Obi Wan ever could have.

Panic enveloped Obi Wan. He knew it would do no good to worry like he was doing, but he honestly had no hope.

"_Don't panic," _Connan's voice rang clearly in his head. She sounded a little worried and exhausted. _"That's my job."_

"Why have you paused?" Dooku asked. "Are you surrendering?"

Obi Wan frowned. Connan had never talked in his mind before. Why would she start now?

"_Oh, Force!"_

Obi Wan winced. Yup, that was Connan all right. He laughed suddenly, taking the Count off guard.

Without warning, Obi Wan began attacking once again. He hit at the Count, whirled around and struck again, only to twist about and strike once more. Dooku blocked them all.

"Surely you can do better." Dooku insisted, a psychotic smile forming.

Obi Wan glanced over at Anakin. He was being treated by Carth, who was talking to the boy and trying to keep him conscious. Obi Wan nodded in satisfaction. His Padawan would be fine.

-----

"So let me ask you this," Connan leapt to Malak's other side, watching the man almost over balance as he twirled to catch up. "Why do you insist on coming after me time after time after time? You _did_ blow up my own ship, after all."

Malak growled, attacking Connan. He was obviously peeved.

"That was _not _me," He answered. "One of my lieutenants fired the shots; I in _no way _told him to do _anything _to your ship!"

Connan miscalculated the attack for a moment. Malak's lightsaber met her skin on the shoulder. She pulled away before any real damage could be done to her left arm, but a large slice was formed over where the lightsaber had hit. She fell from the catwalk.

Connan could hear Carth's terrified cry as she fell head-first to the ground. She flipped over and touched the ground neatly on all fours, jolted but safe for the moment.

Her arm was really hurting her. She closed her eyes and dug deeper into the back of her mind, where all of her power lay locked away. She took out only a bit of power, enough to heal her arm enough to fight. She didn't want to use too much of her power.

She told herself time after time that her power scared her. She knew it scared her. She _never _used the power she needed unless it was a dire emergency, and even then it's not safe. Connan could still go power-crazy. If it happened once, it could happen again, and Connan didn't want to take that chance. She'd been in moments where she went too deep into her power and had to have someone pull her out of it before she did something stupid.

She sighed as the energy washed over her body, soothing her arm and giver her more strength to fight with. Connan was now convinced she had enough strength to kill Malak with. She even had some left over.

What should she do with _that _power? She could give Anakin a taste of his own fury, let him know how it feels to annihilate an entire tribe of Sand People, like she'd felt just a few days ago.

Yes, that—

No. Those were dangerous thoughts. Connan shook her head roughly. She was going to defeat Malak with her newfound strength and then she would put it back in the pits of her mind and never use it again. She looked up at Malak. His eyes shouted glee.

"What's the matter?" He asked. "Did I _win_?"

"You call that success?" She answered his question with a question. "Don't make me laugh, schutta! I can still fight."

Malak shrugged, leaping off of the catwalk to join Connan. She didn't wait until he was on the ground to continue the battle. She met him in mid air and kicked him in the stomach. He went flying backwards into a crate.

"What's the matter?" Connan called drolly, swinging her lightsaber in the air and watching the colors. "Did _I _win?"

"Like hell," Malak's mechanical voice came from behind her. She whirled around and struck at the Darth.

Connan was getting tired already. They'd been fighting nonstop for ten minutes now. She'd taught Malak too well as Revan. He almost rivaled her in combat skills. Normally she'd have someone beat by now. She beat Darth Sidious in less than that amount of time, and she hadn't even practiced for around seven months.

Connan brought her knee into Darth Malak's chest. He doubled over. Connan flipped over his back, deliberately putting all of her weight into the roll. Malak was knocked to the floor. This was it. She'd beaten him. She raised her lightsaber to make the final blow.

Malak grabbed a hold of her ankle and pulled roughly. Connan toppled over onto the ground. In an instant, Malak was up. Connan tossed her feet over her head and stood once more, her lightsaber at the ready. Her chance was gone.

-----

"Stop struggling!" Carth warned. Anakin had been trying to sit up for the last few minutes. "It'll only take longer."

"I have to help Obi Wan!" Anakin countered, still trying to sit up. Carth growled.

"You won't be able to help him if you're too weak to even stand. Just wait a little longer for the medpac to take effect and you'll be fine. Trust me, I know." Carth assured him. Anakin resigned stubbornly, resting.

"Thank you," He whispered.

"I don't leave anyone behind," Carth replied. "Besides, you needed someone to help you. This would have taken a lot longer if I'd let you alone."

"Why are you here helping me instead of helping Connan?" Anakin asked, pointing to the battle next to them. "I thought you were going to have a heart attack when you watched Connan fall."

"I just get in her way when she's like that." Carth answered, looking away. "I can't be any help when she's panicked over him. She's got to deal with this fight herself. It won't do any of us any good if I worry over her and forget everyone else. I'll be concerned about _her _when she kills him."

"Again," Anakin added meekly. Carth chortled quietly.

"Right."

-----

Obi Wan was exhausted.

It took all of his mind power and strength to keep up with the Count, and Dooku was barely even _using _his power.

What's a Jedi to do?

Obi Wan attacked Dooku again and again and nothing ever got through. His moves became slower and slower and he became more and more tired. He could barely feel his limbs. His lightsaber weighed a ton in his hands.

Finally, the two lightsabers clashed and stuck. Red glared upon blue as the two sides fought for domination. It was now strength over technique.

And somehow, Obi Wan was winning. His calm blue lightsaber was overpowering the angry red glow of Dooku's weapon.

Then Dooku pulled out his saber quickly and ran his saber across Obi Wan's arm. Obi Wan dropped his lightsaber, crying out in pain. This gave Count Dooku enough time to slash a cut in Obi Wan's leg. Obi Wan fell to the ground, wincing.

Elsewhere, Connan cried out at the same time Obi Wan had.

-----

Connan dropped to her right knee, gripping her arm. What had _that _been about? She had been battling with Malak when suddenly a blinding, white-hot pain erupted from her left knee and arm. She pulled her hand away from the injury and inspected. Yup, there was more blood. It was in the exact same spot she'd been hit before. She'd have to use _more _power to heal that one, too.

What had made those injuries, she wondered. She only got hurt for no reason if….

No, it couldn't be.

She turned around on the spot, searching for Obi Wan and Anakin.

"_Please be all right, please be all right," _She thought. She hadn't expected an answer.

"_I'm all right; it's just a couple of really deep scratches." _It was Obi Wan's voice. Since when could Obi Wan talk inside her head?

"Surprised?" Malak's cold voice brought Connan back to reality. "Looks like one of your friends has been injured." He smirked. "I do hope it wasn't that Skywalker," Malak laughed. "I was hoping of having honor of obliterating that one."

Anger boiled up into Connan's blood stream. Adrenaline spread through system. She pulled up her lightsaber in her right hand and attacked, favoring her left side.

"It's a good thing I'm right handed," She growled.

-----

"No!" Anakin called. He watched as Count Dooku raised his saber over the helpless Obi Wan.

"Go now, Ani." Carth shoved Anakin away from him, propelling the boy through the air to block the attack on Obi Wan.

-----

Obi Wan thought he was a dead man. Count Dooku towered over him and held his saber in the air, preparing to bring it down atop Obi Wan. He closed his eyes and braced himself.

Then he heard Anakin shout and lightsabers clash. He opened his eyes and saw Anakin glaring at the Count.

Once again panic ran through Obi Wan. He didn't want Anakin to get hurt. Anakin couldn't beat the Count with only one lightsaber.

"Brave of you, boy." Count Dooku admitted. Anakin smirked. "But I would have thought you'd learned your lesson."

Obi Wan reached out with the Force, holding a hand toward his own lightsaber lying a few yards in front of him. It jiggled in place for a bit before racing toward his outstretched hand.

"I _am _a slow learner," Anakin remarked. He whirled around on the Count.

"Anakin!" Obi Wan called. He threw the lightsaber. Anakin caught it an ignited it.

-----

_Why won't this guy die! _Connan stabbed at Malak, who defended and retaliated. The fight was still going on with amazing speed, even though both sides sustained injuries. Connan had grazed Malak on the arms a few times, and once on his chest. There was now a huge rip in his garish outfit.

They were huddled into a small alley in the hangar, banging around their lightsabers and making large, acid-looking marks in the walls. It was very hard to fight there, since there was so little room to dodge you either had to jump or risk getting your saber lodged in the center of the metallic walls surrounding them.

"Come here!" She called. She leapt backwards and out into the open, in the middle of the room. Malak followed.

-----

Carth stared in shock. He watched as Obi Wan hit the floor and heard Connan's scream of pain. She must have felt the wounds he's sustained, but had no warning to brace for them. Even as he pushed Anakin into battle, he stood and thought next of what he should do.

What _should _he do? He looked at Obi Wan as he lay underneath Anakin and Dooku, waiting for one of them to rush off so the other would follow. Then he swerved his gaze to Connan, who was quickly finding herself stuck in a small hallway leading away from the hangar.

_Whoo_, Carth thought. _She's going to have a tough time battling in there._

But Carth couldn't help that. If he went over to them and tried to help, he'd only end up hurting whatever Connan was trying to build up to.

So, Carth ran toward Obi Wan.

He had to wait until the stand off between Anakin and the Count was over, because he _certainly _wasn't stupid enough to get under two lightsabers. Once the two battling people left, Carth dove for Obi Wan.

"Ah! Careful," Obi Wan cringed. Carth checked his wounds. He pulled out the bandages from the last medpac he used and wound them around the cuts and burns.

"These are spares from the last medpac I used on Ani." Carth informed. "You need to get these things to stop bleeding, and then I'll disinfect them." He tied off the bandage on Obi Wan's left arm and began working on the man's leg.

"Do you think Anakin will be okay?" Obi Wan asked. He sounded worried. Carth sighed, glancing over to the battle before them.

"I don't know," Carth answered, returning to the wounds.

"Well, do you think _Connan _will be okay?" Obi Wan still sounded worried.

"She'll win." Carth replied immediately. He hadn't even looked up. "She won't lose to Malak."

"How do you know?"

"No matter how many people say it or think it, Connan _is _the best Jedi in the galaxy. No one else can best her power." Carth answered.

"She doesn't seem so powerful to me."

"She told me once that to use as much power as she has, you have to hate it so much that you don't use the majority of it unless it's the last thing you can do before death. Did you see how she stopped the blaster shot?" Obi Wan nodded. "When we were about to be executed today, she was planning on stopping all of the _droidekas' _shots with the Force."

"That's impossible, isn't it?" Obi Wan was wide-eyed.

"She's done it before," Carth shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately for those of us who _care _about her, she doesn't hold herself in that high a regard, contrary to what everyone thinks. She _will _put herself in harm's way if it means protecting everyone else." Carth finished dressing the wounds.

"Now here, take this kolto pack." He ordered. He held injected the kolto into Obi Wan's system.

"OW!" Obi Wan cried out. "What was _that _for?"

"It's a kolto pack." Carth raised an eyebrow. "You know, a small injection of kolto to keep the body going?"

"I didn't know they had those out. Kolto is hard to come by nowadays."

"Is it?" Carth grinned. "We have it everywhere where we come from."

A large _bang _protruded from the alleyway where Malak and Connan were brawling. Connan bolted from the area, Malak hot on her heels. They stopped in the middle of the room and reinstated their fight once more.

-----

Anakin growled. Obi Wan's lightsaber was now obliterated. Count Dooku had hacked it to pieces. Without skipping a beat, Anakin held onto his saber with both hands and began waving it around. It slashed into a tube lying on the ground. Sparks went flying. They were ignored as the lights blinked on and off.

Anakin silently freaked. At first his eyes couldn't adjust to the darkness. Then he started to see where the angry red lightsaber was and attacked it.

-----

There was darkness.

"How appropriate!" Malak gleefully cried. "Darkness for the Dark Lord."

"Humph!" Connan lunged for Malak, using his saber as a guide to where he was. She leapt behind him as the lights flickered back on and she swung at him and they turned back off. She promptly twirled around him and feigned a move to his left and swung right. She tipped her lightsaber on Malak's shoulder blade. He cried out, falling backwards. The lights came back on.

"Got you again." She smiled.

Pain shot through her right arm. She couldn't feel her hand. Connan dropped her lightsaber. Inexplicable throbbing resounded off of her arm from the elbow up. She looked around.

Anakin's arm had come off.

-----

The lights had flashed around the dueling pair for minutes before something happened. Count Dooku had taken to swinging his saber around and acting like he was going to hurt Anakin. Anakin followed suit, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Finally, Count Dooku struck at him when the lights came back on.

They fought through the simple movements learned by seven-year olds at the Jedi Academy. The techniques became progressively harder and harder until Anakin could no longer keep up. Count Dooku's hands were moving too fast for him to find when the time needed it. At a pause in the battle, Count Dooku swung and chopped off Anakin's arm.

Anakin screamed. Count Dooku held his hand up, making the boy fly backwards into Carth.

-----

Connan instantly flipped backwards toward the three men, leaving her violet lightsaber behind.

"Anakin!" She cried, kneeling down to check on him. "Are you all right?"

Anakin's breathing was unsteady; he was taking too many breaths for him to be absolutely all right. He was sweating—probably from the workout he'd just had with a more advanced Jedi—and his seemed to wince in pain every time he drew in breath.

Still, he managed to smile and say he was okay.

"I'm….I'm all right." He nodded his head roughly, as if he couldn't control how hard he was nodding.

Connan moved Anakin so his head was resting on Obi Wan's feet.

"Don't move." She told Obi Wan. He nodded.

"Don't need to tell me twice."

"Well done, Dooku." Malak's voice made Connan pale. Carth looked slightly frightened at the way Connan's face tightened. She looked furious. Malak went on. "Two down, one to go."

Connan stood.

"Yes, this should be easy enough, my friend." Dooku said to Malak. Connan glared. "She's worn out."

It was true that Connan was very tired. Her right arm was numb from where Anakin's was missing, but it was slowly gaining back its own nerves. The cuts on her legs and arm were still bleeding. Her hair was ragged and limply held to one side of her head. Baby hairs at her hairline frizzed out away from the rest of her hair and stood straight. She took a deep breath.

"Don't be stupid enough to fight me at the same time." She warned. She called for her lightsaber and caught it as she sprang out another one. She ignited them both at the same time. She now had two violet lightsabers for two opponents.

Connan grimaced. To fight both of the Sith Lords at the same time, she would have to delve into her power. She hated that. It always gave way to temptation, which was damn hard enough to resist without the thought of excess power involved. Still, she closed her eyes and opened herself up to more of the power locked inside her mind.

Her limbs felt stronger, she felt quicker, lighter. She could feel the energy streaming off of her. She knew she could defeat the two men at this point. She had so much more power than they did. She would make them crawl and beg for mercy before she killed them.

But why stop with just killing _them_? Wouldn't it be a greater demonstration of power to kill everyone in the room? After all, it wasn't every day that someone got to kill four Jedi and an Admiral from the past, whether or not they were wounded.

Her eyes narrowed, she could feel her skin getting colder, her limbs getting more flexible. She smiled devilishly. This was _it_. She was going to use her power. She needed _more_.

"Connan!" Carth's voice slapped veracity back onto Connan. She shivered and shook her head. Her skin temperature rose, her eyes became normal, and her limbs tightened up enough so she could restrain them if needed be.

"I'm all right, I'm all right, I'm all right…."

Why by the _Force_ would she kill her friends? And _Carth_? She didn't want power. She cringed at the thoughts she just had. Why would _anyone _want power like that?

-----

Carth watched as Connan stood in front of the two Sith. She closed her eyes and Carth's hope weakened.

"Oh, no." He whispered.

"What?" Obi Wan asked.

"She's trying to use more power to beat them." Carth slapped his forehead. "That's bad."

"W-what's wrong—with her?" Anakin asked, still gasping for air.

Connan's skin was turning blue. Her eyes began changing into a piercing, raging red and they narrowed. Carth watched in awe. This _always _happened. Usually she was able to restrain herself from going this far with it. What was wrong? He didn't like watching her hurt herself so.

"Connan!" He snapped.

Connan shook her head instantly. Her skin color returned to normal in the blink of an eye and her lovely chocolate-brown color was again inside those beautiful opals Carth adored.

"I'm all right." She repeated once, twice, three times. She tightened her grip on her lightsabers.

"Did you just save her?" Obi Wan asked. Carth nodded.

"I think so."

-----

Connan flinched. Carth had pulled her back from making a _huge _mistake. _That _would have been ugly. Connan took a deep breath and focused on the emergency at hand.

And it _was _an emergency. Connan was really tired. Her arm was still mostly numb. At one point in time her hair band snapped so her hair was falling down into her line of vision. And worst yet, she now had _two _Sith Lords to fight at the same time.

Obviously taking out more power hadn't worked. She'd panicked and taken out a bit too much energy. True, she was now rejuvenated and ready to take down anyone, but those evil thoughts were still lurking in the front of her mind. They wouldn't leave until she let go of the excess power.

Which of course she couldn't do until she finished the battle.

"Ah, life's predicaments," She murmured to herself. She raised both of her lightsabers for battle.

"Remember, Dooku," Malak said painstakingly. "Do not kill her."

"I know the Master's orders, Malak." Dooku answered, holding up his saber threateningly. Malak scowled.

"Do not harm her much. I want Revan whole." Malak insisted. Dooku glared at Malak.

"I will do exactly what the Master orders, Malak. You forget your place."

Connan cocked an eyebrow. Then she smirked. They _obviously _didn't like each other.

Footsteps were heard outside the hangar, making everyone turn and watch. A shadow on the ground grew larger and larger. It formed long, pointy ears; the sound of a cane _clacking _against the ground rang through the now silent room.

Master Yoda limped into the room slowly, changing looks from Connan and the three men behind her to Malak and Dooku.

"Master Yoda," Count Dooku bowed mockingly.

"Count Dooku," Yoda answered. He rested his hands on his cane and glared at the Sith.

"Good timing!" Connan congratulated.

"You have interfered with our affairs for the last time," Dooku proclaimed. He held a hand in the air and yanked a large tank off of the wall, jettisoning it toward Yoda. Yoda threw it into the wall.

-----

Connan took her chance. She lunged for Malak, twirling through the air. He barely anticipated it, and he almost couldn't block in time.

-----

"Powerful you have become, Dooku." Yoda admitted. "The Dark Side I sense in you."

"I've become more powerful that _any _Jedi." Dooku answered. He held his fingertips toward Yoda. "Even you."

Lightning shot from Dooku and toward Yoda. Yoda caught the bolt in his hand, grunting as it disintegrated into his palm.

-----

Carth watched in amazement. Master Yoda had _great _timing! Now Connan wouldn't have to worry about two opponents. He saw Connan lunge toward Malak and catch the man off guard.

Malak was losing his concentration, Carth could tell. The man was going over the edge. He looked even more tired that Connan did.

"Wha—What's—" Anakin squinted as he tried to see what was happening.

"It's Yoda," Carth answered quietly, so he wouldn't distract anyone. "He's come to help."

Obi Wan nodded.

"Good," He insisted. "How's Connan?" Carth looked over to the woman.

She'd just slammed her foot into Malak's head. Carth laughed quietly.

"She's doing great."

-----

Connan's foot connected with Malak's temple. Malak cried out, crumpling to the floor. Without skipping a beat, Connan took both of her sabers and drove them squarely into Malak's chest.

Almost instantly, the ground beneath Malak turned purple, swirling black shapes circling his body. The _Byssual _had come back for him.

"Wait!" Connan called to it. The _Byssual _stopped moving. "Can I do something first?"

-----

"It is obvious that this contest cannot be determined by our knowledge of the Force, but by our skills with a lightsaber." Count Dooku suggested. He ignited his lightsaber and swung it around, baiting.

Yoda opened up the left side of his robes and called his lightsaber to his hands. He held the saber firmly in both hands and lunged, crying out as he did.

He had to stop Dooku. That was the only thing on his mind. He wasn't worried about the strange man with the metal jaw who was attacking Connan. Connan could obviously take care of herself, as well as everyone else. He'd been told what she said to the Jedi at the arena hours before, and he watched her from afar as she stared down the two Sith Lords without batting an eyelash.

No, he was sure Connan Frai would be fine. He was worried about the three men lying almost unconscious on the ground a ways off. He'd noticed that Anakin was sadly missing an arm, and that Obi Wan had large, deep cuts on his elbow and knee. They didn't seem to be in as much pain as they should have been, so Yoda had assumed that Carth had taken on the role of trying to heal them as well as he could.

At least the Admiral was trying to help.

Yoda's lightsaber met with Count Dooku's yet again at a standoff, where Yoda threw the Count's saber off of his and attacked again. He mercilessly leapt from place to place, trying his hardest to subdue the out-of-control Jedi.

"Fought well you have, my old Padawan." Yoda stated.

"This is just the beginning." Dooku Let go of the lightsaber with one hand and held it over a pillar. The pillar broke at the base and began to fall—

Right over the three men.

-----

Carth silently cheered for joy as he watched Connan kill Malak again. Then he saw her stop the _Byssual _from taking the man away. He knelt down to Malak and held his head. She closed her eyes and seemed deep in thought. Carth wondered what she was doing to him.

Than Carth heard the snap and jerked his head.

"Oh, no." He slumped his shoulders. Obi Wan looked up.

The pillar was falling on top of them.

"That's not good."

Carth braced himself.

-----

"Thanks." Connan waved to the _Byssual _as it disappeared, taking Malak with it.

Suddenly Connan became aware of just _how _tired she really was. She was sure she'd dislocated her shoulder and subconsciously knocked it back in place a few times while fighting. Her legs were chilled and screamed in pain every time she _thought _of moving. She hunched her shoulders and huffed.

"Oh, no."

Connan turned around at Carth's voice. He sounded a bit freaked out. Connan widened her eyes. There was a large column dropping onto her friends!

All thoughts of her fatigue were gone. Connan focused on the mast falling steadily onto Carth and the others. She felt someone helping her with balancing the large pillar and saw Yoda with two hands gripping at the air, trying desperately to control the thing.

Finally the two of them managed to get the post to stop moving. Connan pushed forcefully onto it and it hit the wall behind the three.

The ramp to the ship behind them closed and Count Dooku raced away.

Connan didn't care. The exhaustion had returned with reinforcements. Her eyes were drooping. She didn't know how she could hold herself up. She looked around her to see if there was something she could use to help herself. She was standing a little ways away from the wall, and behind her was a railing leading to a stairway into the catacombs.

Before trying to do anything else, Connan attempted to put the power she'd used back into the back of her mind. It pulsated around her angrily as she stuffed it away. As if her own powers were trying to punish her, Connan threw up.

Connan grabbed onto the railing behind her and vomited over the side. Then she sank to her knees, trying to regain control over herself. Her shoulders shook with each wheezing breath she took. She had to grip onto the railing with both hands and lean all her weight onto it. She shivered. With vigorous struggling, Connan stood and made her way toward the wall.

-----

Yoda called his cane back to him as he replaced his lightsaber into his robes. He was very disappointed. He let Count Dooku get away, and now there would be even more cause for war.

-----

Carth held perfectly still, his eyes resting on Connan. She stood stock-still, focusing primarily on the large, falling death-maker above him. As the thing got closer and closer to him, He closed his eyes and leaned onto Obi Wan.

Then the moving stopped. Carth dared to look up. The pillar hung inches above them, perfectly balanced in the air. He heard Connan grunt and the large column slammed into the wall behind them.

He didn't listen to the sound of blaster shots outside, or the hum of the hyperdrive as the Count's getaway ship took off with him in it. The only thing he had on his mind was Connan.

She was in sad shape.

She'd found a wall to lean onto, which Carth was very grateful for; she looked like she could barely hold herself up. She was trying to pace her breathing but didn't seem to be able to. She held a shaking hand to her forehead and tried to take her own temperature. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, though she didn't _seem_ to be in any sort of pain. Carth knew that knowing Connan, she was probably just trying to hide the pain.

Then Connan leaned her head onto the wall and stared up at the ceiling. She sank to the floor, shoving her head between her knees.

Carth glanced down at Obi Wan as the man used his feet to propel Anakin into the air. Carth took Anakin's good arm and held him in place, making sure that the lightheaded boy kept his stability.

Padmé ran through the doorway.

"Anakin!" She called, rushing toward the boy. Carth nodded. They would be safe. He ran to Connan.

-----

Connan couldn't breathe. The air wasn't getting into her lungs. The air seemed to evaporate as soon as it reached her wind pipe. She leaned onto the wall next to her, looking around. She could feel four or five people running into the room. One of them was Padmé. At least she was all right.

Connan couldn't stand any more. She slumped onto the ground, putting her head between her knees. The taste of vomit stuck inside her mouth, sickening her even more. The pits of her stomach were shrieking.

_This _is what happened when she tried to use her powers and then put them away. This awful feeling similar to morning sickness—simply amplified by a million—always came once she stashed her unneeded energies back away for a long time.

A hand rested on Connan's shoulder gently. It felt like a ton.

"You okay, beautiful?" Carth's voice was soft. Connan looked up slowly. Even moving her head an inch intensified her sickened ambiance. Still, she fought the urge to heave and stared into Carth's gorgeous eyes.

Carth looked very panicky, though he didn't show it through anything but his eyes. Very lightly, he moved his rough, calloused hand to her cheek, delicately rubbing his thumb across her cheek bone. He stroked away the tears.

"It's okay," He whispered. Connan shakily sighed.

"Connan?" Padmé raced toward the two. Connan's tolerance for motion sickness broke down and she covered her mouth, attempting but failing to stop herself from once more throwing up. She turned her head sideways so she wouldn't get it on anyone.

Carth turned and held a hand to Padmé.

"Slow down, sister," He said. "You're making her sick." He returned his focus to Connan and held a hand to her forehead. She had a high temperature.

Padmé slowed to a walk and knelt beside Connan.

"Can you move at all?"

"A little," Connan coarsely answered. She needed water. She hadn't had any for hours.

Carth sighed, hanging his head. He wrapped his arms around her back of her legs and around her shoulder blades, slowly lifting her off the ground.

"She should be all right." He told Padmé as they made their way out of the hangar and toward the transport Padmé made the soldiers bring. "She just needs to _sleep_. And maybe see a kolto tank."

"No fraking way." Connan answered, resting her head on Carth's shoulder. She went limp while he carried her, resting every single muscle in her body. "I'll scream."

"You don't have the strength to scream," Padmé joked.

"How's Anakin?" Connan asked. "And Obi Wan?"

"Obi Wan is fine. He'll be on crutches for a few weeks, but he should be as good as new." Padmé started. "And Anakin…. They said it was too late to save his arm. They're making a synthetic one for him now that can do everything he was able to do before. He's fine, just in a lot of pain."

Connan tried to nod but stopped, sensing another stomach attack would follow. Instead she held her thumb up from her fisted hand. Everyone was all right.

For the time being.

-----

**Oh, my GOD this took a freaking long time to make. I'm SO SORRY! T.T I didn't mean to take so long. I actually started this stupid chapter in mid-April when I **_**said **_**I was going to update. But I never liked the caliber of it, so I rewrote it like four times. Then I STILL don't like it that much until the end. Somehow I like making strong people show a lot of weakness after a hard battle. I'm just weird like that. The other weird thing is that I can't do long battles without getting distracted by other things, so they take longer. T.T Bleh.**

**I'm sticking with the schedule, people. Next week another one of these will come out. Unless I decide to do one sooner. That would be cool.**

**Thanks so much to everyone who's been tolerating my sweet, sweet absences lately.**

**I suppose you people are wondering about my grades? Probably not, but I want to try and get to thirty pages on this thing (I'm on 29) so I'll tell you anyway.**

**You know what SUCKS?! I'm better at reading than at math, and I got commended performance on the math TAKS but not the reading. Oh, well, that's a lot better than passing by only ninety-six points. And it got me exempt from my math final so I didn't have to worry about that.**

**So aside from TAKS, I got an eighty-five on my report card for the last two six weeks in math. So I'm good to go now.**

**I almost got grounded against yesterday though because of World Geography. That's one of my **_**good **_**subjects too. I got a 72 on the final because she didn't like the way I answered the questions. It sucked badly, because she gave us the exact same answers the day before and I SWEAR I studied. I swear the whole school's out to get me.**

**So back to the story I just wrote, I know it gets kind of weak in the middle. That's where I got really bored and tried to do other stuff, like make Connan try to manipulate Malak and Dooku to kill each other and stuff like that. Then I remembered that the awesome Yoda had to come and save the day, as well, so I had to strike that out. Then I wanted something to happen where Connan actually **_**tried **_**to harm her friends and Carth snapped her out of it, but that's totally out of character, even for her Dark Side (which she still denies to this day.) Lol.**

**All right! Thirty pages! I'm on chapter 48 and I'm 2:12:48 of the way through. I'm almost done! I'll put up one, maybe two more chapters, depending on how I want to get them home.**

**That reminds me. You all know that to get back into the **_**Byssual**_**, you have to die, right? I'm drawing blanks as to how to kill Carth and Connan. The poor boy might be freaked out about attempted suicide, and I don't think Connan will want to even **_**think **_**about going back to Korriban with all the Hssiss on it. Ehh…. A little help, please?**

**Please review, and I'll see you guys next week!**


	12. Proposal

**Proposal**

Connan lay limp in Carth's arms as he carried her to their assigned room on the ship that was going to take them back to Coruscant. She still lacked the strength to stand, so she wrapped her arms around Carth's neck and held on tight.

Anakin and Padmé walked in front of the two, leading the way. Anakin flexed his new arm experimentally, gazing at it with curiosity. Padmé had her arms wrapped securely around Anakin, in case he was still feeling dizzy from the painkillers they gave him.

Everyone was still in the clothes from the battle, so with each step everyone took, dust and sand wafted into the air and clouded everyone's vision and made them cough. Connan buried her face in Carth's armor, focused on listening to his calming heartbeat. It made her gut not want to throw up.

A ravenous growl emitted from Connan's stomach, making the woman groan. Carth held her tighter, fighting a knowing smirk back from his lips.

"Carth, I'm hungry," Connan informed him of the obvious. He nodded.

"All right,"

"I want something with the word 'gizka' in it."

Carth nodded.

"I want _anything _with the word 'gizka' in it."

Another snarl emanated from the abdomen. Connan frowned.

"Hmmm," She started. "Scratch that. I want _everything _with the word 'gizka' in it."

Carth couldn't help it. He laughed. He brushed his nose through her hair.

"I'll get you whatever you want, beautiful," He answered.

"And _cheese_! Cheese has to be on top of it. I want cheese, Carth."

"That's gross!" Padmé whispered to Anakin. Carth grinned.

"They might have some in the replicator,"

"And some of that cloudy yellow liquid we had in that bar when we were tracking that assassin!"

"No alcohol."

"Why not? I want _booze_!"

"That's the last thing you need. You'll have water."

"Water doesn't go with gizka and cheese!"

"_Nothing _goes with gizka and cheese," Padmé murmured. Connan stuck her tongue out. "Are you sure you don't want _regular _food?"

"Don't worry," Carth told her. "She's fine." Anakin stopped walking down the long white corridor and pressed a button on the wall. Part of the wall opened up and a room was seen on the other side. Anakin stepped through the doorway and plunked himself down on one of the four beds in the room.

"Here we are," He insisted.

Carth laid Connan down on the bed on the opposite side of the room from Anakin. She immediately tried to get up. Carth pushed her back down.

"Where do you think _you're _going, gorgeous?" He asked playfully.

"I want _food_." She answered, trying once more to stand. Carth held her down with one hand on her stomach. He could feel it churning itself.

"I'll get you your food, Connan." Carth kissed her forehead. "Just be patient." He stood and headed for the door.

"Anakin, want to come with me?" He called. Anakin shrugged. "Come on, it's a lot of food I'm going to have to carry by myself. It'll be done a lot quicker with someone else to help me." He said the last part loudest, glancing over at Connan.

"Go with him!" Connan asserted, waving her arms toward the door. "Go with him!"

Anakin got up and left a bewildered Padmé with Connan. Padmé rubbed her shoulder, sitting down on the foot of Connan's bed.

"You're being really pushy, you know." Padmé admitted.

"I'm _really _hungry. You'd be pushy too if you knew this kind of hunger. It's like being pregnant, but a million times worse." Connan explained. Padmé nodded. "And look at the bright side; we get to talk alone for a while."

"That's true." Padmé shrugged. For a minute there was silence.

"So after all of this, what do you think of Carth?" Connan finally asked, rubbing the sides of her arms.

"I think he's very protective of you." Padmé answered truthfully. Then she smiled. "Not to mention he's cute."

"He's _very_ cute," Connan pulled her legs up to her chest with difficulty. She wrapped her arms around her knees and held on tightly. "He's ruggedly adorable."

"What attracted you to him, anyway?" Padmé asked. "The combination of you two just doesn't seem like it would work, but it does. He's always so serious and straightforward. Either we can never get a straight answer out of you or you're off playing around." Connan smirked.

"True, true," She stared at Padmé, giggling. "In the beginning, it was his voice."

"Really?" Padmé seemed dumbfounded. "Out of _all _the good things about him, you like his voice the best?"

"I've always liked his voice. Even when we first met, even when we were arguing, I could never get my mind off of how calming his voice sounded."

"You two argued?"

Connan burst out laughing. The flung her arms in the air and guffawed until her ribs felt like they were going to shatter. Padmé cocked an eyebrow.

"We never _stopped _arguing for the longest time." Connan finally managed to speak. "It seems like every time we started talking, we would get into a fight."

"So what changed? You hardly ever fight at all now." Padmé fiddled with her hair.

"We both came to terms with some stuff. He was angry at the world for… strenuous reasons. And I was furious with myself for letting stuff happen that shouldn't have happened."

"How did you two meet?" Padmé asked, a sudden glint in her eyes. She grinned. Connan mirrored her expression, blushing.

"Uhh, the Sith were blowing up the ship we were both staying on. We were the last two survivors off of the ship. Seconds after our escape pod left we saw the ship explode. I woke up a few days later in an abandoned apartment on Taris. Which was… later blown up…." Connan giggled sheepishly.

"Trouble just _follows _you, doesn't it?" Padmé leaned back onto the bed as Connan crossed her legs.

"That's what he said, too. He seemed to think that the Sith attack was _my _fault."

"You're kidding!"

"No, he was pretty intent on accusing me of being everything from a Sith spy to a Mandalorian warrior." Connan waved a hand in the air.

"And you didn't get mad?"

"Padmé, I was _always _mad back then." Connan corrected. Then she got slightly serious. "Carth seemed to be peeved that I was so angry. He wouldn't leave me alone about it. He wouldn't leave me alone _period_. And his voice was so damn _calming_! I couldn't stay mad at anything if he was talking." Padmé stared at Connan, a smile playing at her mouth. "Then it came to the point where I couldn't be angry if he was even in the room. I've cooled down a lot since those times."

"What's the thing you remember most about those times?" Padmé asked, curiosity overwhelming her.

Connan thought about that. What _was _her favorite part about her times with Carth while on their mission?

"Well," She finally said. "It would have to be once I figured out I was Revan."

"What happened?"

"Carth was furious with me, like it was my fault I didn't tell him who I was. _I _didn't even know who I was. He got even madder when everyone on the ship was willing to take me as Revan as well as Connan. He stormed off in a huff.

"I stayed away from him. I was convinced that he hated me; I was convinced that _I _hated me. It was weeks before Carth talked to me again."

"That's mean!" Padmé instantly grew angry. "If you didn't know, how could he be so angry?"

"You don't understand," Connan defended Carth. "Revan was pictured to the Republic as a slaughterer of millions, no matter what my true intentions were. Truthfully, the useless murders didn't happen until _after _I got my mind blown out. So Carth saw Revan as a figure to be feared." Connan took a shaky breath. "As a Sith that should have a blaster held to its head." Padmé gave a livid growl as Connan continued.

"I was a mess. I hadn't realized how much I depended on Carth to get me through from day to day. When he slapped a wall between us, I fell. Hard.

"There was a point on Manaan where I had to break into the Sith base. I could have sweet-talked my way through the whole thing and nothing would have been done about it. But I didn't have the patience in me and I ended up eradicating everyone in the base that wasn't in my party."

"That's harsh."

"I know." Connan sighed. "I don't know what happened, but one day Carth came up to my room. I had gotten to the point where if he was in the same room as me I would clear out. But before I could leave this time, he grabbed my hand. He suddenly apologized for being to cruel to me and said he knew that I wasn't Revan anymore."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Padmé grew happy again. Connan could feel the woman forgive Carth for his mistreatment of Connan. "Why do you remember this one the best?"

"Because this was the first time he actually held me. He said if I ever thought he hated me, I should annoy him endlessly, and he held me." Connan wrapped her arms around herself. "And for the first time in weeks, I was like myself again."

"And you two have loved each other ever since?" Padmé asked. Connan nodded.

"Four years. When I came back with Donella from the Unknown Regions, they gave the original crew the ship back and we headed off to Korriban, and the rest you know." Connan shrugged.

"You look happy when Carth's around." Padmé observed. "You seemed a little on-edge last time you came, but this time you're so calm and collected." Connan waved the comment off.

"Yeah, loving someone can do that for you."

"So what about marriage?" Padmé inquired. "Have you two talked about that?" Connan turned beet red.

"I love Carth," Connan stated. "Sometimes I love him so much it hurts. I would love to marry him." Padmé read Connan's downcast look.

"But…."

"But he used to talk about his late wife all the time. I could tell she made him really happy. How can I ever compare to her?" Connan buried her head in between her knees.

-----

Carth popped his fingers. Boy, was he tired. He hadn't even done much and he was ready to collapse next to Connan.

"Where's the cantina, Anakin?" He asked his friend. Anakin chuckled, pointing to the left. "Then you lead the way."

When Carth had pulled Connan up from the ground on Geonosis, he knew how utterly helpless she'd become. He felt her instantly go limp in his arms and he tightened his grip, determined not to let go. Every now and then he could feel a muscle tremble or her spine shiver and his resolve would renew itself. He'd quickly reposition his hold on her.

It became harder to keep her steady on the shuttle ride back, while the medics were fitting Anakin with the new arm. He'd _warned _Connan not to look at it, but the stubborn woman watched anyway. Every time Anakin jerked away quickly, Connan's muscles would tense and she'd throw up over the side. Once Anakin caught on to the fact that he was making Connan vomit, he immediately stopped any and all movements coming from himself, the poor boy.

Carth was so busy in his thoughts he hadn't noticed they were already in the cantina. The waiter droid looked at him patiently as he waited for the order.

"Uh…" Carth scratched the back of his head. "I've got a strange one for you."

"Forgive me, sir, but is it pregnant-strange or strange as in I probably won't have it?" The droid asked.

Pregnant? The thought made Carth's whole being jump.

"Pregnant-strange." He answered. He ignored the shocked looks from Anakin behind him. The droid nodded its spindly head.

"Go ahead, sir."

"I need everything you have with the word 'gizka' in it, and could you please cover it in cheese?" Carth turned red as he ordered. It was by far the strangest thing Connan had ever craved.

"That is indeed a strange one, sir." The droid replied. "It will take time to get this order ready. Would you be so kind as to give me ten minutes, sir?" Carth bowed.

"Of course," The droid turned and rushed off.

"Let's get comfortable." Carth pulled up a chair and sat down at an empty table.

Not that empty tables were hard to find in this cantina. The whole thing was completely empty. The white chairs and tables blended into the white walls. Carth, Anakin, and the droid were the only ones in the whole place.

Anakin crossed his hands together and laid his head on them.

"What a day," He commented.

"It sure was," Carth agreed. "I'm going to go back to the room and take a shower while Connan's eating. Then I'm going to make her go to bed so we can sleep."

"She sure ordered some strange things." Anakin raised two curious eyebrows. Carth laughed.

"She always does that. When she pulls more power out of her mind and then puts it back in, she gets really weak, really sick, and then she craves the weirdest things. It's basically a pregnancy blown horribly out of proportion." Carth frowned. That word kept creeping into the conversation.

"Can I ask you some questions about you two?" Anakin asked. "Padmé and I were really curious about some things." Carth shrugged.

"I don't see why not,"

"Okay…." Anakin stared at the ceiling while he came up with a question. "You seem to be protective of her."

"I'm very protective of her." Carth answered. "The only problem is she doesn't need to have someone protecting her unless she's wounded, and then it's a bit too late to protect her, isn't it?" Anakin agreed. Carth continued.

"She's a very independent woman for the most part. She can survive in any situation that comes along to her." Carth leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. "She never asks for anything. That bothers me a bit."

"So you must have been happy when she started telling you what she wanted." Anakin guessed.

"I'd give that woman the galaxy if she asked me to. Hell, even if she _didn't _ask me to. She doesn't want the galaxy, though, so whenever an opportunity arises where she asks me to get stuff for her, I do it."

"That's great," Anakin admitted. "That you two have that kind of relationship. You two must have been friends from the start, huh?"

Carth laughed. Loudly. He uncrossed his legs and leaned onto the table in front of him. A surprised Anakin leaned away from the table.

"At the very beginning, all we didwas argue." Carth reminisced. "As I recall, our very first argument was seconds after we met while our ship was blowing up around our ears." Anakin's eyes widened.

"But you two never argue anymore!"

"Well, we were both going through some tough times. Connan was in a pit of self-loathing because of something she thinks she could have prevented. I was just angry at everything that wasn't me." Carth excused. "She was so _nosy _when we first met. She seemed annoyed by my distrust in everything. She wouldn't leave me alone about it. She wouldn't leave me alone _period_. She was so stubborn! It was like she could tell when I was pulling myself into a depression and she wouldn't leave until either we'd had an argument and I was angry instead of sad or I had told her what was so wrong."

"Sounds like she took care of you." Anakin laughed. "I can see Connan doing stuff like that." Carth bent his head.

"I love her," He admitted. "Gods know I love her so much. I don't care where we are; I don't care what we do. I just want be with her."

Anakin smiled.

"Sounds like you and I are in the same boat." He declared. "After your first wife, have you ever thought of marriage?"

Carth immediately reddened.

"I have, actually." He acknowledged. "And I've decided that nothing would make me happier than to make Connan my wife." He sighed, staring at the table. "But even if I could get her to stop moving around for one second, would she _really _want to marry someone who's been married before, and who has a son?"

"I think it'll keep bothering you until you find out." Anakin nodded toward Carth. Carth shrugged.

"So what should I do about it?"

Just at that time, the droid showed up with three bags full of food.

"Forgive me, sir, but here is your food." It said. Carth took the bags from the droid. "Please come back again, sir!"

"Come on, let's go," Carth called to Anakin. They left the cantina and made their way back to the room.

"You were saying what I should do about Connan…." Carth continued. Anakin smiled, taking one bag from Carth's hands.

"I've got an idea."

-----

"No!" Padmé covered he mouth to stifle the laughter. Connan didn't try.

"Yes! He told me to take a shot at calling him a name, so I did!"

"But a sexless marsh-toad? Isn't that a little extreme?" Padmé slapped Connan across the arm.

The door _shucked _open and Carth came through, two bags in hand. Anakin came in after him with yet another bag in his hand.

"Wow," Connan stared. "That's a lot of food." She grinned at Carth. "That didn't take long at all."

Carth pulled a tray from a cabinet in their room and set it in front of Connan. He then placed some of the food from the first bag on the tray.

"Here you go, beautiful." He said softly. He kissed the top of her head lightly. "You eat that. I'm going take a shower."

"How come _you _get the first shower?" Connan whined.

"Because _I _can stand up." Carth answered.

"Sure, sure, fine." Connan waved him off. "But don't be gone for too long, okay?"

Anakin sat on the other side of the room with Padmé. They were both on the same bed, Anakin with his arms around Padmé's waist and Padmé melded onto Anakin's chest.

"You know," Connan commented. "We could push those two beds together if you two wanted. Make the two beds on that side of the room into one."

Both Anakin and Padmé turned red. Anakin let go of Padmé and Padmé stood up, walking away from the bed. Connan giggled while she took a huge bite of the strange food. The two lovebirds didn't seem to be into sleeping in the same bed, yet.

"Just a suggestion."

-----

Carth lay in bed, arms wrapped around Connan, pressing her back to his chest. He listened to Connan's deep and steady breathing as she stayed plastered to him, gripping his arms which surrounded her very soul with security. Carth was perfectly comfortable.

He was also content with the physical health Connan was in. Once Anakin and Carth had returned with the food, she'd eaten every single bite within the hour. She then took the last shower before plopping into bed beside Carth. They'd shoved the two beds together as Connan had done with Anakin and Padmé's. There should have been nothing concerning Carth that night.

Yet he was wide awake.

He couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he'd had with Anakin; the plan the smart little mastermind had come up with. It was a good idea—Carth pondered the fact that it should be called a "plan"—and Carth was all-too willing to go along with it. If done right, it could be the most successful thing he'd ever done.

But if things went wrong, how could he live with himself? Would he _want _to live with himself?

What if Connan didn't want to get married to him? The woman was a human torpedo, she never stopped moving until she hit a wall or passed out from exhaustion. Could she deal with having to settle down a bit for married life?

Not to mention the fact that she might not want to get into a serious relationship with someone who's already been down the married road and had a child along the way. Would Connan desire to be with a man who already knows how to be a father? What if they get pregnant? She'll be the only one without experience.

If she wanted to get pregnant, that is. Carth knew there was a slightly good chance that she didn't want to get pregnant. She'd have to stop doing reckless things and she'd have to think through what she was doing before actually committing the act. What if she didn't want to do that?

What if she said "no"?

The thought wrenched Carth's heart. Subconsciously, he held onto Connan tighter.

Carth knew he'd woken up Connan when her breathing stopped abruptly. Her relaxed muscles tensed in the slightest. He sighed, brushing his lips across her neck.

"Did I wake you?" He whispered. Connan turned in his arms. She looked into his large, hazel eyes and smiled, barely tracing his mouth with a finger.

"In a way," She whispered back. "You feel so worried about something, I couldn't _not _wake up. What's wrong?"

So his anxiety had gotten through to her. He shook his head, running a hand through her soft, clean hair. She'd been the last one to take a shower.

"Nothing's wrong," He lied. Connan frowned.

"I know you're lying."

"Did you feel that, too?"

"No, you always scrunch up your nose when you're lying." Connan said, gently pulling her finger down the accursed nose. Carth took her hand and kissed it. Connan allowed him to.

"Carth?" She asked. Carth trailed his lips up her arm. He could feel the chills go down her arms.

"Yes, beautiful?"

"I love you," Connan murmured. "You do know that, right?"

Carth stopped. He stared at Connan's sincere face. He knew she knew what he was agonizing over. He smiled at her.

"Of course I know that, Connan." He answered, kissing her eyelids.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I really do."

"Don't worry, I know." Carth silenced Connan's protests as he captured her lips in his.

Connan laid a hand on Carth's neck, pulling him closer and deepening their kiss. Carth draped his arm around Connan's waist.

Connan broke away, much to Carth's disappointment. She licked her lips tauntingly and smirked.

"You thought that'd shut me up, huh?" She asked. Carth chuckled.

"Can't I kiss the most beautiful woman in the galaxy without having a reason?" He countered. Connan shook her head.

"No, you don't need a reason," She picked lightly at his neck hairs. "In fact, the most beautiful woman in the galaxy prefers when you don't have a reason."

Carth smiled. Force, he loved her.

Connan snuggled up against his chest. She closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. Her breath tickled Carth's torso.

"Good night, Carth." Connan relaxed and was again asleep.

Carth watched Connan sleep, as she lay in their bed in total ease. A small smile spread across her face, amplifying her beauty in Carth's eyes.

His resolve had renewed itself. He wouldn't worry about what she would say when the time came. He'd deal with it when he had to. Until then, he would keep calm and enjoy his time with her.

Having calmed himself down, Carth secured Connan in his arms and went to sleep.

-----

"Well, this is where we part ways."

Connan yawned. Why had Obi Wan decided to get everyone up so early? They were all sleeping fitfully when he came and woke everyone up, telling them to get dressed and meet him in the cantina.

"Connan, are you listening?" Obi Wan waved a hand in front of her face. She blinked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She gathered her wits before Obi Wan could give voice to what his face was saying. "Where are you going?"

"Master Windu and I must return to Coruscant. He wishes for you two to go on with Anakin and Senator Padmé to Naboo." Obi Wan explained once again.

"Once we're done with that," Connan continued. "Carth and I better find a way to get home." She scratched the back of her head.

"You never told us how you got back last time." Obi Wan reminded her.

"There's a reason for that," She dropped the subject instantly. "So what time are you leaving?"

"In about an hour we're going to land on Manaan." Obi Wan explained. Connan shuddered.

"I _hate _that place!" She growled. "The walkways are _so _confusing."

"Not to mention rabid Selkath aren't too easy to kill," Carth inputted. Connan agreed wholeheartedly.

"On Manaan," Obi Wan snapped the two back on subject. "I will take a freighter along with Master Windu to Coruscant, where I will relay our missions to the full Council."

"What about us?" Padmé asked. She leaned forward in her seat.

"You four will have a ship prepared for you to take Senator Padmé back to Naboo. Captain Typho will be along with them. You'll be safe there."

"How long will it take to get from Manaan to Naboo?" Anakin asked, glancing at Carth. The man shrugged.

"We picked Manaan because it's in the middle of a line between Naboo and Coruscant. It will take both of us two days to get from place to place."

"So it looks like we only have an hour left." Connan suddenly seemed sad.

"Once Anakin and Padmé are safe in Naboo, you and Carth no longer have any obligations to our Jedi Council." Obi Wan instructed.

"We never had any to begin with," Connan corrected. "We did it because we wanted to."

"No matter," Obi Wan ignored her comment. "Once you get those two safely to Naboo, you and Carth must focus on getting yourselves home."

"Why are you being so formal?" Connan asked, slightly miffed at Obi Wan's professional disposition. "It's not like I haven't done this before."

"Do you two need a ride to Tatooine?" Anakin asked. Carth raised an eyebrow.

"Why would we want to go back there?" He asked.

"The very last time we saw Connan, she was on her way to Korriban because she thought she'd have to be on the planet she was found on. If we found you on Tatooine, shouldn't you go back there?"

Connan laughed awkwardly. She hadn't really explained to everyone how she'd gotten back the last time, so they didn't know that to get back to their own time, she and Carth would have to die.

"That's hardly necessary," She waved her hand limply. "We can get back to our time on Naboo."

"How _did_ you get back to our time the first time?" Carth asked. Connan faltered.

"Oh, you know. Walked around, fought some stuff, something else we'll talk about _later_…." She kicked Carth's shin. He cringed, getting the message.

"So, we're going to be leaving in about an hour, huh?" He said.

"That means it might be a _long _while until we see you again, Obi Wan." Connan added. "If at all."

"I'm going to miss you two," Obi Wan said sadly. "And I'm sorry that I couldn't spend more time with you."

"Hey, the call of the Jedi is the call of the Jedi," Connan droned. "You got to do what they tell you to. And besides, if there _is _a next time, you should know I won't ever leave you alone until it sends us back. That should make up for lost time."

Obi Wan smiled.

"Maybe I'll talk the Council into letting you go to some missions with me. That would be fun."

"Missions are _always _fun." Connan concurred.

Carth disagreed. Missions always put him on edge. Especially since Connan never listened to him about what should be done in the sticky situations she seems to get herself into.

"So you guys go on ahead and get your things ready," Obi Wan said. "By the time you get done, we'll have landed and I'll have to be off."

Connan stood, wobbling around for a second. She still hadn't gained her balance well since the night before.

"Wait!" Obi Wan seemed to remember something. Connan bent her head to one side.

"What is it?"

"I just remembered to ask you something," He reached out and grabbed Connan's shoulders to help her regain her balance. "When you killed Malak, you spoke to the _Byssual _and got it to stop. Then you did something to the Darth. What was it?"

It was a good question. Carth had been wondering that himself until he saw how weak Connan was. It had been instantly shoved from his mind until later.

"Oh, that." Connan snickered. "I wiped his memory of ever being in the future."

"Why did you do that?" Padmé asked.

"_How _did you do it?" Anakin gawked. "It would take a whole Council to do that."

"I can do it," Connan simply said. "I did it because I asked him what happened before the _Byssual _dragged him to the future."

"What did he say?" Carth asked.

"He said he was waiting for the _Ebon Hawk _to enter the Star Forge so he could kill us."

"Ah, that's not good."

"So I wiped his memory so he wouldn't remember battling me more than once."

Obi Wan nodded, obviously satisfied with the answer.

"That was smart."

"I'll say. It was hard enough to beat him and his mind games the first time without him talking about something I hadn't even _done _yet."

"Excuse me," The droid on duty in the cantina came rolling up to the conversing group. "Master Windu would like to ask Master Obi Wan to join him."

Obi Wan nodded, dismissing the droid. He glanced sorrowfully at Connan, who sighed.

"Damn Jedi, always get in the way." She hugged Obi Wan tightly. "I'll see you in the future, hopefully."

"Ha-ha, very funny." Obi Wan returned the embrace earnestly. "I hope you two get back safely. If I _do _ever see you again, I hope you're both well."

"Force, stop being so formal!" Connan slapped her friend across the arm. Obi Wan turned bright red and puffed up.

"Will you _stop _saying that blasted word, you insufferable woman?" He growled. Connan burst out laughing.

"Nope." She flicked his nose. "Now, will you stop being so stuffy? This is worse than the last time I left!"

"What happened the last time you left?" Carth asked.

"He tried to tell me how I die, so I got mad and left for Korriban." Connan answered.

"I'm trying to prevent that from happening, again." Obi Wan barked quietly.

"Then don't tell me about the future, smart one." She poked his chest. "You don't have to be _square_."

"You mean the past." Obi Wan corrected, a smile lurching across his face abruptly.

"Yes, well…." Connan frowned. "You know what? Shut up." She shoved him playfully. "Go play with Master Windu, you stuffy airbag." She pushed him toward the cantina door.

"Bye, guys." He waved. "Anakin, make sure you _call _me when you get to Naboo and when you leave, okay?"

"Yes, Master." Anakin nodded. Obi Wan bowed and left.

Connan sniffed poignantly. He wasn't even off the ship and she was already missing her old friend.

"Well," Carth tried to get Connan's mind off of parting from her old comrade. "Shall we pack?"

"Yes, let's." Padmé placed her hands firmly on Anakin's shoulder blades, propelling him through the cantina doors and off to the room.

Connan took a step to follow them and quivered. Her knees knocked together as she quickly tried to recompose herself. Her stability was still a bit shot from the day prior's escapades.

"Whoa…." She grabbed a hold of a chair to right her balance.

Carth frowned, picking Connan up. She squealed.

"Carth!" She yelped. "I can walk."

"I see that very clearly." Carth retorted.

"Will you let me walk?"

"No." Carth shook his head, exiting the cantina and wandering down the hallways after Anakin and Padmé.

"Please?"

"Asking nicely won't help, you know." He insisted.

"Why won't you?" Connan tried to squirm out of his hands. Carth simply held on tighter. He rested his mouth by her ear and spoke, putting warm breath on Connan's neck, prickling her skin.

"Because I want to hold you," Carth answered. Connan turned red. She stopped moving around so much and allowed Carth to carry her toward the room.

"Well," She excused. "I suppose that's a good reason," She wrapped her arms around Carth's neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "But I get to pack our bags."

-----

"I'm bored."

"We _know_, Connan." Carth rubbed his hand on the top of her head. They sat in a large, metallic room on a large, humming ship on the cold, hard floor. They'd been heading toward Naboo for a whole twenty-four hours now.

"What do you guys want to do?"

"That—we don't know." Anakin shrugged. He laid an arm around Padmé's shoulders.

"I don't suppose you two know how to play pazaak?" Connan asked.

"Play _what_?" Padmé squinted. Connan groaned, leaning her back up against the wall.

"Never mind."

"You can't play Pazaak anyway, Connan." Carth reminded her. "You always lose."

"That doesn't mean I won't play." She shrugged. "Most people won't play me at Dejarik, so I have to take what I can get."

"I know Dejarik!" Padmé held up a hand. "It's supposed to be really complicated and intricate."

"We don't have the equipment for that kind of game," Anakin realized. Connan shrugged.

"That's okay; I doubt anyone would like to play it for very long, anyway."

"So what do you want to do?" Carth inquired.

"We could just go to sleep." Connan suggested.

"Did you always like sleeping, Connan?" Padmé asked playfully. Connan smirked.

"Not until after the Star Forge." She cast a suggestive look at Carth.

Carth glanced at Anakin. The boy winked at him.

Anakin took Padmé's hand and stood, helping the woman to stand with him. Instinctively, Connan and Carth also got on their feet.

"Padmé," Anakin started. "I love you." Padmé reddened. "I will love you until the end of time itself."

"Anakin—"

"Wait," He placed a finger gently across Padmé's lips. "Let me finish,"

"When you fell from out shuttle during the battle, I thought you'd died for a moment. Part of my sanity was wrenched away from me as I watched. I don't want that to happen again." Anakin kissed her hand, kneeling on one knee.

Connan gasped quietly, trying not to mess up the mood. Was he doing what she _thought _he was doing? Apparently that's what Padmé thought he was doing, too. Tears were instantly spotted on her face. She used her other hand to cover her mouth.

"When we get to Naboo tomorrow, nothing would make my happier than for you to be my wife." Anakin finished. He pulled out a small red box from his robe pocket and opened it. A small diamond on a ring lay inside. Padmé dropped her mouth, shocked.

"Of course!" She was barely able to keep her hand steady enough for Anakin to put the ring on her finger. "Of _course _I'll marry you!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Aww…." Connan sighed. "Isn't that romantic, Carth? Carth? Oh my—Carth, what are you doing?"

Carth was on one knee, clinging onto Connan's hand. Connan's eyes bulged.

"Oh, Force."

"Connan, you know how much I love you." Carth started. Connan's face began to turn as red as Padmé's. "And that love seems to grow every single day that I'm with you."

Connan had to concentrate to keep her mouth from dropping wide open.

"You gave me a reason to stay alive beyond revenge, Connan." Carth had to take a deep breath to keep his pulse under control. He could see Connan's face conflicting between happiness and anxiety. "If anything happened to you…. I don't know how I would go on."

Connan quickly glimpsed at Anakin, who was nodding his head and smirking. The little genius had probably planned this with him!

"Connan," Carth looked up at Connan, pleading inside his mind that she answer. "Will you marry me?"

"I can't be Morgana, Carth," Connan whispered, her tone so low Carth could barely hear her.

"I don't want you to be Morgana." He clarified, shaking his head. Connan's heart skipped a beat as she brightened. "I loved Morgana when she was alive, and even years after her death. But you showed me that there's a life beyond the memories my wife left behind. I want you to be _you_, Connan." Carth examined Connan's expressions. She seemed to perk up as he spoke. "I don't have a ring to give you, Connan. All I have is the promise that I will love you forever."

"You don't need a ring," Connan couldn't stop herself from crying. She dropped to her knees as she enfolded Carth in a strong embrace. "I'd marry you if you were the poorest man in the galaxy with nothing but the clothes on your back." She buried her head in Carth's neck and sobbed.

Carth was astounded. He had no clue that Connan would react so strongly. He slid his arms around her and held her gently.

"Awww!" Padmé gripped Anakin's hand. "Ani, did you two plan this?"

"It was more like _he _planned it and I went along with it," Carth admitted. He stood up, pulling Connan with him. She had a smile so large on her face Carth thought it would pop off and run away.

"Well, it was a great idea," Connan declared.

"So how are we going to do this?" Padmé asked, leaning onto Anakin.

"Well, we're to escort you back to Naboo and to your house, right?" Anakin clarified. "So we can do it there. It's where no one would see it happen but the priest we hire to perform the duty."

"We can't let the Jedi know," Connan insisted. "They'll expel Anakin if they find out."

"What about you and _your _Council?" Anakin asked.

"They don't like me anyway, and since Zhar bit the dust a couple of years ago, I haven't really felt like tolerating anything our Council has to say." Connan laughed. "We have to worry about _you _not getting into trouble, not me."

"It'll be safe at my house; I always check to make sure no one's placed cameras anywhere." Padmé claimed.

"Great!" Connan threw her arms in the air. "We have some planning to do."

"I'm no good at planning any kind of party," Anakin said sheepishly.

"Don't you worry about that, Ani." Connan declared.

"Yeah, you leave the planning to us two. You can Carth just remember to show up, okay?" Padmé advised.

"We'll be there, don't worry." Carth asserted. "Come on, Anakin; let's leave them alone for a while."

-----

**AHH! Okay, so I peaked. The end kind of fell flat on its face. Sorry, didn't mean for that to happen. Honestly.**

**Sorry for the filler chapter, peoples. I start back on the movie (or what's left of it) next Sunday. I only have two chapters left! YAY!! Then I can get started on the saddest movie **_**ever!**_

**I think it's pretty sad that I think a **_**Star Wars **_**movie is the saddest movie ever. Lol.**

**I meant to put the wedding in this one, but it would take too long and I'm already on page twenty-four. And besides, I think it would look like I'm trying to rush things, and that's the last thing I'm trying to do.**

**T.T Okay, so I'm not totally happy with this chapter. Don't be surprised if I go and change some of it in my spare time. If I ever **_**have **_**any spare time.**

**See y'all next Sunday!**


	13. Wedding

**Wedding**

Padmé rummaged through her home closet, looking for her best dress to wear. Connan sat on the Senator's bed, crossing her arms and legs together and—for once—looking rather self-conscious.

"Here's the perfect dress!" Padmé declared, pulling the garment out of the closet and laying it onto the bed. Connan stared at it blankly.

It was a nice dress. The underlay was simple enough; nothing but a simple, white, silk dress with sleeves that cut off on the crown of the shoulder. The overlay was nothing but lace, covering the underlay in a poncho-like manner. The sleeves were naught but lace winding down her arm and connecting at a ring—supposedly to wrap around her middle finger.

"It's beautiful," Connan yawned. They'd gotten back almost an hour ago and immediately an eager Padmé dragged a tired Connan off into the unknown depths of the large house.

Carth had laughed at the sight, insisting that Connan could go with Padmé since he was going to take a shower. It had been a few days since any of them had.

Anakin had agreed with Carth, saying that Padmé would get Connan dressed up all beautiful and that it would give him time to find both a priest and to contact Obi Wan Kenobi.

So Connan rested atop Padmé's bed, shifting nervously at the closet full of over-elaborate clothes.

"Now, let's look for _your _wedding dress." Padmé flung herself back into the dark abyss full of outfits. "You're about the same size as me, and we can hem and sew as we need. You need something…."

"Can I just get something simple?" Connan awkwardly suggested. She wrung her hands. "All those gaudy clothes are _bound _to make me fall over and suffocate."

For a moment, the thought of getting home to her time by dress-suffocation seemed amusing as she mentally saw herself floundering around with her air cut off.

"You won't fall over," Padmé insisted. "And you're _not _going to wear those simple Jedi robes you're so into wearing."

"_Carth _doesn't have to change clothes." Connan shot back. Padmé flashed Connan smile that said "you're not getting out of this".

"_Carth _came here with nothing but the clothes on his back, as you did." Padmé explained. "But you have my dimensions. Carth is bulkier and more muscled than Anakin, so he can't really get anything from him." She turned back around to search through the clothes again. "_You_, on the other hand, will have a dress. We'll put your hair up all nice and pretty, and you'll wear _makeup_."

Connan gagged.

"Are we trying to make me look nice or like a prostitute?" She asked. "Come on, _makeup_? Why would you do that to me?" Padmé laughed.

"Because a little makeup goes a long way," She claimed. "And it will make Carth's eyes widen and his mouth drop. He won't know what to say to you. You want to leave him speechless, don't you?"

"That would be a sight," Connan admitted. Padmé cried out in triumph, pulling something from the wardrobe.

"Stand up," She ordered. Connan stood. Padmé put the neck of the dress to Connan's neck, sizing up what needed to be done.

"It's perfect!" She announced, throwing her hands in the air happily. "It looks _great _on you."

Connan wasn't so sure. The dress—in her opinion—left nothing to the imagination. If something else came off of it, she would hardly be wearing _anything_.

"Isn't this outfit…uh…. _Missing something_?" She asked, swinging her gaze from the dress to Padmé. "Maybe something to cover up this—" She waved her hands up and down her exposed legs. "And _this_?" With this she waggled her hand in front of her bare chest, showing just enough cleavage to make someone _notice_.

"You're just used to having almost every inch of your body covered with the Jedi garb." Padmé excused. "And you're not used to anything that _isn't _like that. This is fine; it's just not what you're used to."

Connan must have still looked skeptical, because Padmé sighed and sat down, pulling the Jedi down with her.

"Why does it bother you so much?" She asked.

"It doesn't," Connan shrugged. "It's just not something I'm used to, like you said."

"Right…." Padmé didn't believe her. "Well, anyway, I thought you should know that you can't wear those Jedi shoes with this nice-looking dress. You should wear something like _these_." Padmé held up a pair of high-heeled shoes that matched said dress.

"Padmé, do you _want _me to break my ankles and never fight again?"

"They're not _that_ hard to walk in, trust me." Padmé assured her. "And they're easy to get into and out of." Connan whimpered.

"Look," Padmé took Connan's hands in her own. "You're going to look great in this stuff."

"I know," Connan confessed. "It's just…. The last time I had to wear something skimpy—though, I have to say, it was _much_ skimpier than this—was on Nar Shadaa with Donella, and we got groped and hit on so many times I thought I was going to be sick. Things stay easier when I stick to my regular wear."

"No one's here but you and I, Carth and Anakin." Padmé assured. "And Anakin is marrying _me_, so if you have a problem with him I'll knock his head around." Connan laughed, a bit more relaxed.

"All right," She agreed. "I suppose it won't be _that _bad." Padmé giggled.

"Of course it won't." She saw Carth pass in front of the door. "Now go take a shower so I can get started making you look gorgeous for your wedding."

-----

It was to be simple, really. There was going to be nothing extravagant about the wedding to note. The priest was going to get up, say his thing to make the act legal, then leave.

Connan and Carth would spend the night in the large house, along with Anakin and Padmé. In the morning Carth and Connan would get up and eat breakfast with the newlyweds and take off wherever they needed to go.

Force, Connan was nervous.

She fiddled around with the dress she'd been stuffed into, all-too aware of the fact that her back was bare on the other side and that the garment in question ended a few inches past her knees. It certainly wasn't the type of thing to wear at a _wedding_, per se; but at least it was white. Padmé had only two hours to get what she needed out of her closet and coerce Connan to put her hair up in some overstated way.

Which was probably one of the reasons Connan had a headache. All nervousness aside, the hair piled atop her head with bobby pins sticking her scalp was really weight down on her. There was a single tendril of hair curling down, resting on her back and constantly reminding her that there's _nothing on her back_.

She was also a bit frustrated, mainly at her nerves. She was a _Jedi_. Jedi don't get nervous. They also don't get married, either, but she slapped herself when she was reminded of that. She should be able to calm her nerves. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, practically _begging _her tension to disappear.

In front of Connan there was a large brown door and on the other side there waited three men. Two to get married and one to do the deed. The thought just sent chills down Connan's spine and she suppressed a shudder.

"Nervous?" Padmé asked, smirking at she approached the Jedi. Connan opened her eyes, letting out her breath and shaking her head.

"Of course not." She said quickly. "I'm a Jedi. Jedi don't get nervous. I'm not nervous. If I can fight against Sith Lords with one numb arm and too much Force overflow, I can handle a wedding. _My _wedding."

Connan was not a social idiot. She knew that she was babbling. She also knew that babbling was almost a sure-fire way of telling when someone was trying to cover up.

Padmé was also not lacking brains when it came to common behavior. She grinned knowingly.

"Calm down," She patted Connan's shoulder with her hand. Connan shivered as she felt the lace wrapped around Padmé's hand meet her bare shoulder. "You're going to do fine. All you have to do is walk in there, say 'I do', then leave with your husband."

Connan laughed.

"It's not so hard," Padmé encouraged. "Look, I'm doing it with you. It'll be great. It's just like a political debate, or a stunt or something. At first you're so anxious you feel like you're going to explode. But once you get up there, you're not going to think of anything but what you have to do."

"I was never good at debates." Connan admitted. "I'm more of a show-people-what-you-mean type."

"Then show Carth what he means to you!" Padmé suggested. The Senator wrapped an arm around Connan's crooked arm and pulled toward the closed door in front of them. "Come on, you're going to make him think you're running."

-----

He thought she would run for it.

Scratch that, he _knew _she would make a run for it.

He and Anakin had been standing at the railing of the beautiful balcony, talking with the man who was going to marry them to their fiancées. Well, Anakin was conversing; Carth was on the verge of panic. He could see the light under the door waver; he knew that it was Connan pacing around. Padmé didn't pace.

Connan, however, would pace around whenever anything happened and she had no experience in the particular subject… which was rare. It was a nervous habit of hers which she used whenever she was extremely uncomfortable with something.

The small droid R2-D2 beeped something to the lackluster droid C3PO next to him quietly, but loud enough to make Carth jolt out of his thoughts and jump halfway into the air.

"Calm _down_," Anakin laughed. "They're just talking to each other; no one's making a break for it." Carth raised an eyebrow at him.

"And how do you know?" Stupid question, really.

"Hello!" Anakin waved a hand in front of his face. "Jedi, here! I'm good at matters of the mind."

"Excuse me," The priest held up an index finger. "Are they going to be here anytime soon? I don't mean to put a rush on things, but—"

"Oh, don't worry," Anakin insisted. "They're coming."

Before anything else could be said, the doors opened and Padmé came through, dragging along an embarrassed Connan.

Connan had turned a shade of red Carth'd never seen before, even during their Star Forge days when they were always arguing and making up. In an attempt to regain her lost confidence, she stood straight and kept her eyes forward, but kept her arm firmly linked with Padmé's.

Carth was struck dumb. He almost didn't recognize Connan as she stepped toward him. Her hair was put up above her head in a very complex way, and a single strand trailed down and lay on her back at full length. He'd never seen her with any other hair style other than with her hair put in the ponytail or with it all the way down, and this was quite a shock.

He was also dumbfounded by her clothing. He had no clue how Padmé talked Connan into wearing something so…. _Not _Jedi-like. Connan was practically in _love _with her Jedi robes; even Carth couldn't get her to wear anything else. But here she was, dressed in a small white dress, reaching slightly below the knee and leaving part of her chest uncovered. He could tell there wasn't a back to it too, by the way Connan kept jerking her head slightly, as if trying to figure out what kept tickling her spine.

Force, she was _gorgeous_.

He hadn't even noticed that she'd already gotten up to him and was standing beside him, staring in apprehension.

"Do I look _that _weird?" She asked, a bit meekly. Her tone brought him back to reality. She was a bit freaked.

"No, Connan. You look stunning. I couldn't have imagined it better."

He didn't think it was possible, but she turned even redder.

"You _imagined _it?" She timidly scratched the back of her head. Carth smirked.

"That isn't _all _I imagined."

Before Connan could retaliate, Anakin cleared his throat. Connan switched her gaze to him quickly.

"You two can talk—or whatever else you had in mind—all you want when we're through, okay?" He said. Padmé giggled.

"He's just impatient." She excused. Carth nodded.

"Let's get started then." He slipped his hand into Connan's, squeezing encouragingly. She squeezed back, turning to face the priest.

The man cleared his throat, glancing between the two couples before starting.

"Marriage is an honorable estate. It is not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly, but discreetly and soberly. Into this relationship these two—er, four—persons come now to be joined. I therefore charge all of you that if you know any reason why you should not be joined in marriage, you make it known at this time."

For a moment, the balcony was silent. No one moved, and Connan could hear the buzzing of insects that were miles off. She held her breath, half-exploding from the suspense that hung in the air. When no one said anything, the priest smirked, glancing at his note cards in front of him and continued.

"Let's see…. Anakin, do you take Padmé to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, being faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?"

Anakin smiled gleefully, his eyes boring into Padmé's, whose grin was equally wide.

"I do,"

Connan suppressed a happy chuckle at the two newlyweds. They had no rings to give each other; hell, neither did Carth or Connan. They only had the others as witnesses and their simple happiness.

"And Padmé, do you take Anakin to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, being faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Padmé answered instantly.

Connan found herself turning red again. It was _their _turn now.

"Carth, do you take Connan to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, being faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?"

The hand clinging to Connan's suddenly squeezed tightly, and Connan couldn't help but meet Carth's eyes. They held a cheerfulness she had never seen in him before. She wished she could make him keep it there; it made her feel warm inside.

"I do," He whispered, rubbing his thumb lightly on the top of her hand.

"And do you, Connan, take Carth to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, being faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

Connan was sure. She had never felt the way Carth could make her feel, not even when she was with Malak as Revan. She was convinced no one would ever love her as much as Carth did now. She grinned playfully, all of her apprehension fleeing from her.

"I do!" She exclaimed, making Carth laugh. The priest smiled.

"Inasmuch as you have thus consented together in marriage, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the Queen of Naboo, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

They needed no instructions on what to do next. Without waiting for someone to direct them, Connan pulled at Carth and brought his lips to her own.

-----

Connan woke the next morning feeling as if she'd slept on a cloud. She opened her eyes wearily and rubbed them, yawning. Upon realizing where she was, she promptly laid her head back down onto Carth's shoulder and sighed.

"Good morning," Carth said hoarsely beside her. He traced mindless patterns into her forearm. Connan laid an arm limply across her husband's chest.

That still sounded strange to her, hours after the deed had been done. Carth was her _husband_. Last night she and he had signed the papers to make it official, even though they were four thousand years illegitimate for it. They would have to do it again when they got back.

"You all right?" Carth asked when he didn't get a reply out of her. She nodded.

"'Course I'm all right," She kissed his neck. "I'm married."

Carth laughed, rolling over to peer at Connan.

"And you're sure you're all right with that?" He asked. Connan gave him a slightly annoyed look. "I just don't want to make you feel like I'm holding you down."

"Carth," Connan sat up and poked him in the chest. "We were doing the exact same things _before _we got married, if you couldn't tell from last night," She smirked at Carth's reminiscent expression. "It's just a title. If I didn't tell you that you were holding me down before yesterday, you're not going to do it after."

Carth shrugged.

"And besides," Connan pulled Carth up with her. "If I didn't want to get married, why would I have done it? Granted, we _are _four thousand years in the future, but that just means that we've already done it and when we plan our big, traditional, technically _real _one once we get back home, no one can stop us." She planted a kiss on Carth's lips before playfully pulling away.

"You thought all of this up already, didn't you?" Carth guessed. Connan shook her head.

"Actually, I thought of it the _last _time I was here. I thought how funny it would be if one second you and I somehow got pulled into the _Byssual _and the next second came out married." Connan giggled. "I can't _wait _to see the look on Bastila's face!"

"You're too much," Carth enfolded Connan in his arms and laughed loudly.

"Oh!" Connan was inspired. "Can we invite our Jedi Council to our wedding when we get home?"

"You just _love _thinking up ways to get them mad, don't you?" Carth asked.

"I want to invite the people important to me! And if it gets them a bit steamed from my eccentricity, then it's too bad for them." Connan answered.

A knock came at the door and the newlyweds dove under the covers before the door opened, revealing a dull-grey droid.

"Miss Padmé would like me to inform you two that she knows you're awake and that breakfast is ready." C3PO said. Connan nodded.

"All right, tell her we're coming." The droid waddled away happily.

Connan relaxed onto Carth for a moment, frowning in thought.

They would have to leave today to find their way home. Connan had insisted that they could find their way home on Naboo, and wouldn't need any kind of transportation. The other three had taken her word for it. They didn't question how she could get them home.

She had to figure out how to tell Carth that they had to die. And soon, so they could get home without much of a fuss.

-----

Connan walked into the dining room with Carth attached to her side. They sat at the table and began putting food onto their plates.

"Did you two have a good night?" Padmé asked, a smile in her voice.

"Of course _we _did," Connan answered in the same manner. "_We _know how to do it."

"Connan!" Carth scolded. Padmé burst out into laughter, followed closely by Connan.

"What did I miss?" Anakin walked in, carrying another plate of food to the table. Padmé and Connan tried to choke down their laughter and chew their food without asphyxiating.

"Nothing," Carth rolled his eyes. "Just Connan being Connan."

Anakin grinned as he sat and started to eat. Connan and Padmé swallowed a chortle every now and again, each time they glanced at each other.

"They're in good moods, today." Anakin observed. "Did you two have a good night?"

Connan opened her mouth to respond quite readily, but Carth got there first.

"Do _not _answer that, Connan." He ordered. Connan glanced at him and then at Anakin, and shut her mouth dutifully. "We had a great time last night," Carth answered for Connan.

"What time were you two planning on leaving today?" Padmé asked. Connan sobered up.

"We need to leave soon," She explained. "So I can work some things out before we get home."

"What things?" Carth asked. Connan shrugged.

"Oh, you know… _things_." She said with finality.

"How soon is soon?" Anakin pressed.

"Before noon, I would gather," Connan judged.

"That's coming up pretty quickly," Padmé said quietly. Connan nodded.

"I know," She admitted.

"You guy had better to gather up your things." Anakin suggested. "So you can leave on time."

Connan nodded again, this time more solemnly.

"It'll take us about an hour to get everything settled," Connan estimated. "But let's worry about that _after _breakfast, huh?"

-----

"So where are you two going to go?" Padmé asked. Connan slung her bag over her shoulder and secured her sabers in her belt. The trees around the outside of Padmé's home swayed in the breeze, as if they were trying to calm Connan's nerves.

"I figured we would hang around the coast for a while; see if anything interesting turns up." She ran a hand through her hair anxiously.

"And if it doesn't?"

"We'll find a way into the forests, or we might head around for the Gungan City."

"Those are dangerous!"

"Exactly." Connan said with a sad smile.

"Well," Carth walked outside, with an arm slouched around Anakin's shoulders in a friendly way. "I can definitely say this adventure has been… different from some of my other ones."

"Same here," Anakin admitted. "I haven't had one as fun as this one for around ten years."

"Yeah," Connan scoffed. "_That_ was fun." She took a hold of Carth's hand. "You ready to go?"

Carth nodded, holding up his bag.

"Anakin insisted we take food and a few more blasters with us, so it took me a bit longer to pack." He excused.

"Then we'd better head out," Connan stated. She embraced Padmé tightly.

"Will we ever see you again?" Padmé asked. Connan shook her head.

"As nice as that would be, I honestly hope not." She explained. She turned to face Anakin, whose face looked horribly sad. "Aw, come on now, Ani." She lightly pushed on his shoulder. "You knew the _last_ time that my possibilities of coming back were slim. What are the odds of coming back a third time?"

"I know," Anakin acknowledged. "But you weren't here as long this time,"

"You didn't _need _me here as long this time," Connan countered. "And believe me, four months is _plenty _of time to have me around. Most people are completely tired of me after four months."

"None of us have been tired of you," Padmé argued.

"Yes, well, you guys are just weird," Connan joked, waving a hand in the air. She looked toward the sky and examined the sun.

"So… we'll see you when we see you?" Carth proposed. Padmé and Anakin nodded. Connan hugged them both one more time and backed up.

"We'd better get going," She sadly asserted.

"Bye, you two!" Padmé waved and Connan pulled Carth down the pathway away from the palace-like house, away from their friends, away from tranquility, and away from safety.

-----

Connan had researched the Sea of Naboo. She knew it was less than a mile away from Padmé's home. She also knew it was native waters to many unsafe creatures. Even the coast was something to be avoided, as it was largely infested with cannoks. They stayed away from human territory for the most part, and instead went for the stragglers who wandered into their own region.

There were also creatures in the waters that could come and go from the Sea as they please. They usually kept to the waters, as they could catch fish and swim freely as fast as they wanted.

But they would come out of the Sea at the taste of blood.

For about an hour Connan and Carth walked lazily along the stretch of beach in front of the Sea of Naboo. Every now and again Connan would race up ahead to scan the area for something, then dash back over to Carth's side.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Carth asked after an hour and a half of walking along the white-sand beach.

"We're looking for a way home," Connan answered, walking backwards to face him. She mentally scanned the area. They were deep in cannok territory, and she knew they were watching them. If she kept an air of ignorance, they might attack.

"I knew that," Carth chuckled. "But why are we here? What does a beach have to do with getting home?"

Connan hesitated. The cannoks were making a move. They were coming out of hiding and pelting toward both of them.

"We're looking for something," Connan half-explained. "That will make the _Byssual _come to us and take us home."

"And what is that, precisely?" Carth ventured. His face dropped as he focused behind Connan. "Connan, behind you!"

Connan whirled around instantly, a lightsaber in her hand, slicing through the tough skin meeting her sword. A cannok lay at her feet, chopped in half.

Connan looked around, gauging how tough the battle would be. There were many cannoks; a lot more than she had anticipated.

"You got a sword handy?" She asked. Carth unsheathed his vibrosword, twisting it around.

The cannoks leapt mercilessly, sinking their teeth into anything they could fit into their huge jaws. Carth deflected a cannok, throwing it across the coast as another bore down on him.

Connan had to draw out the sea creatures. She "accidentally" missed a cannok flying toward her and let it rip into her arm. She flung it into the Sea of Naboo, watching flail around for a second before inspecting her arm. The bite marks were pretty deep.

"Connan," Carth snatched her arm up and checked it over. She snatched it back in time to throw a cannok off of Carth's shoulder.

"I'm fine," She insisted. "It's just a bite."

Connan's eyes widened as a large, maroon tentacle slithered around Carth's shoulder and yanked him backwards. Connan grabbed at his hand and was pulled with him.

Connan and Carth hit the water some feet away from the coast, so they could sink and be totally immersed in the water. Connan deftly stuck her sheathed lightsaber back to her belt loop; it would do her no good underwater. She grabbed Carth's vibroblade from his hands and swung it at the tentacle encircling him. It retracted and she dragged him to the surface.

As they broke the surface and sucked in air, Connan decided she didn't want Carth to die, whether or not they had to die to leave. If she made Carth die, she could never forgive herself, but if he saw her "die" then be safe in the past, he'd be furious that she didn't tell him how they could've gotten home. So how could she get out of this situation? It wasn't as if she could fool the _Byssual._

Wait. Maybe she could. It would be tricky, and it might not even work, but it was worth a shot.

She was soaked. Her hair was now almost a black color and sticking to her neck. Her Jedi Robes were drenched and dragging her down with the extra weight absorbed into them. She clung to Carth's arm to keep from sinking under.

"Are you okay?" Carth asked, huffing out breaths and attempting to swim back to the shore. Connan could feel the underwater beast wrap its feelers around her legs and squealed, deliberately letting out all of her oxygen as she was hauled below the surface once again.

The particularly large beast attempting to strangle Connan with its legs sank lower and lower into the depths of the sea. She had no air to supply herself with, and the pressure of the water was almost to the point where it would crush her. They descended deeper and deeper still until Connan could finally get a grip on the creature trying to kill her. She bit into its tentacle and the feeler retracted as the monster cried out in pain.

Connan was too far underneath the water for her plan to work. She began trying to ascend more to the top, hoping the monster would follow.

Carth met Connan halfway under just as the beast caught up to them. Connan flew in front of Carth just as a limb came into contact with her. She was swept sideways, into a boulder.

Connan still had no air. She couldn't breathe, and she couldn't hope that the Force would supply her needed amount of oxygen to survive under water. When she hit the seawall, her head began pounding around her ears, and she knew her time was about up.

Out of the corner of her eye, just like last time, the _Byssual _appeared. Fighting for consciousness, Connan used the last amounts of her energy to grab Carth by using the Force and fling him into the _Byssual_. It took him in and disappeared before Carth could figure out what happened.

Good, at least Carth would be safe. Finally deciding to let herself go, Connan closed her eyes and sank to the bottom on the Sea of Naboo.

-----

Carth couldn't breathe. The last thing he remembered was Connan, colliding into that huge wall underneath the water, and nearly cracking her skull open. Then he saw a strange purple blob wafting below the surface. He stared at it, his lack of oxygen and pulsating head temporarily forgotten.

It was then he felt the water rushing past him, and suddenly he was hurled onto the hard ground, coughing and spewing out water.

He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, jerking him up. Another pair of hands thumped on his back. He kept coughing, his eyes shut to the galaxy.

"Get it all out, lad." A voice rang though his head. He _knew _that voice from somewhere. Where had he heard that voice before?

"J-Jolee?" He asked, finally taking in a steady breath of air. He squinted; the light here was much brighter than it _had _been. Wasn't it a cloudy day on Naboo?

Come to think of it, Jolee hadn't been on Naboo. He'd been on….

In a flash everything came to him. His eyes opened as wide as they could and he gasped, nearly choking again.

"Connan." He said. "Where's Connan?"

"We don't know," Candorous insisted, squatting down next to Jolee. "We saw you and Connan dashing around here trying to get away from that ugly purple thing and tried to come out to help. When we got here you'd just been sucked in. Not a second later, here you came, soaking wet and nearly drowned."

Drowned?

"Oh my—" Carth looked around. "Connan's still not back?"

"She's got to be somewhere, Carth." Jolee insisted. "It wouldn't bring _you _back but leave her, would it?"

Carth tried to think. He hadn't been positioned in front of the _Byssual_. Connan had thrown him into it.

"It was _going _for her." He admitted. "Connan pushed me at it and I got sucked in instead."

Jolee exchanged a worried glance with Candorous.

-----

Suffocating wasn't so bad, Connan admitted to herself. You get the lightheaded feeling and you lose so much air you don't really mind the horrible pain in your head.

With half-lidded eyes Connan felt herself go completely limp and she gently tapped the bottom of the sea, softly bobbing up and down there.

If the air—or lack thereof—didn't bother her, the pressure certainly wouldn't, either. She was so far from the top that she couldn't see the sun anymore. There was simply a dark blue haze around her. If she closed her eyes all the way, it would be hard to tell a difference.

It was this unresponsive, numb feeling that made Connan unaware of the bright purple entity surrounding her and wafting her away from the horrible depths of the Sea of Naboo.

-----

About two seconds after Carth explained how he'd gotten to the _Byssual _first, said creature reappeared and spat out Connan before promptly disintegrating.

Connan lay on her stomach, with an arm tucked underneath her. Her fists were clenched tightly. Her hair enveloped her face, veiling her visage from view.

"Connan!" Carth rolled Connan over onto her back. The woman limply swayed at his touch.

Carth inwardly panicked. Connan's eyes were half-closed and glazed over. Her lips had a tinge of blue around the tips. Her hands felt cold and stiff. With severe realization Carth cried out.

Connan wasn't breathing.

-----

**Hi guys.**

**I had a twenty page chapter all set and ready to post about two months ago for this chapter, but then Koholint asked if I could get her some songs and I put them on my flash drive, which also had my story on it so I could bring it back and forth from the places I went. And that would have been fine; I gave Koholint the flash drive and she used it and she gave it to my brother so he could give it back to me.**

**My brother lost it in the Band Hall parking lot and didn't tell me until two days after he lost it.**

**I've been so depressed about it, and I had writer's block for the most part, so I couldn't get the gumption up to write something more on this. But here it is, finally. Took me long enough, eh?**

**I can't really update tomorrow, even thought **_**is **_**Sunday tomorrow. Maybe next Sunday, eh? I'm one chapter away from the end!**

**I'm through with the movie now, guys. Finally I can get it out of my room! I just need to find the third one. I bet it's in my brother's room. ((Cringe))**

**Thanks again, guys, for being tolerant of my erratic updates and disappearances. I promise they'll stop. School should make my updates a bit more regular. Let's hope, at least.**

**Have a good day!!**

_**Amme Moto**_


	14. Trapped

**Trapped**

Whatever she was lying on, it wasn't very comfortable.

For a second it felt like she was wafting on a cloud, her lightheadedness had attributed to the drifting feeling. The next moment she was thrown face-down onto the rock hard ground, as if she'd been falling instead of floating.

The pounding headache she was feeling didn't help much, either.

It felt like she'd been under immense pressure for some time and suddenly ripped away from it. How had she gotten like that?

She shivered inwardly; she didn't trust her body to move. Her chilled skin was being beaten into submission by the scorching air around her. It had been a bit cold where she had been; now it was almost unbearably hot. She wished there could be a nice, cool, middle between the two extremes she'd experienced.

But why had it been so cold? Where had she been? Force, if only she could remember….

Then someone turned over and righted her, and she fully grasped the situation she was in.

A sense of panic almost overwhelmed her system as she willed herself to open her eyes, to talk, to _breathe_, to do _something_. She struggled hopelessly against herself, but couldn't find the initiative to start her body into movement. It was futile.

Connan was trapped.

-----

Carth pressed his lips to Connan's instantly, exhaling into her mouth. He pressed his clenched fist to her abdomen and shoved at it with both hands, desperately trying to get her respiratory system to reawaken.

"Get Bastila!" Carth heard Jolee order. Candorous turned and bolted.

Carth repeated his last actions frantically, forcing himself not to break down. Connan _was _alive. She _had _to be. She wouldn't survive the death of an old friend, a fight with a tarentatek, and her battle with Malak just to die by some unheard-of monster in the stupid Sea of Naboo. He refused to believe it.

Again Carth repeated the procedure, mentally begging Connan to show him she was alive.

Jolee knelt down by Connan's side and grasped at her wrist. Carth paused and stared. Jolee closed his eyes, as if thinking.

"It seems she's got a pulse," He informed, a little anxiously. Carth let out a breath. "But it's so small; I've only felt it twice in half a minute."

"What's wrong?" Bastila came running from the _Ebon Hawk_ and toward the group of people. "Why are you two _wet_?" She stopped as she saw Connan's state. "What the—"

"Exactly!" Candorous growled. Bastila leapt to Connan's side and placed a hand on her forehead.

"Well?" Carth asked after a few seconds of silence.

"She's there," Bastila still had her eyes closed. "This is similar to when Malak blew her ship up. Though her mind isn't destroyed; it's trapped."

"Trapped?"

"Yes, trapped." Bastila nodded. Jolee groaned, slapping a hand to his eyes and rubbing as hard as he could.

"Only the lass would have such a thing happen to her," He shook his head.

"Can you get her out?" Carth asked before pumping more air into Connan.

"Yes, but I'll need Juhani to come and help. Jolee, too, for that matter."

-----

Connan couldn't move. She tried to scream instead. The air wouldn't come to her when summoned. She felt as if in a bubble; separated from the rest of existence and doomed to be in this torturous state of _nothing_.

It felt slightly similar to how she'd felt when Anakin went into that rage, when he slaughtered the whole tribe of Sand People and she was forced to watched from his side, even though she was miles away in the home of little Ani's step brother. Then she'd been too shocked to breathe, let alone speak or move. The lightheaded feeling had come from the lack of oxygen, but had gone away when Ani's anger released her from its clutches and she slammed back into her own body.

Here it felt largely the same. Even though she wanted to, she couldn't speak, move, and she _definitely _couldn't breathe.

She felt something upon her lips, forcing air into her system. Then there was a pair of hands driving it out again. As the process repeated, another set of hands clutched around her wrist. She prayed she had a pulse, even if it was a small one. If they thought she was gone, they'd leave her in this state and she'd be confined in this dark, breathless, immobile space forever.

A hand lay across her forehead and a voice broke through the void, piercing her mind and making her try to cringe. She couldn't understand a word of it.

She focused on the words as hard as her oxygen-less brain could, and wished the person would speak quieter and more clearly.

"_Are….you….there?"_

That was clearer. And it was almost a whisper. Maybe this person could hear her thoughts!

"_I can."_

Thank the Force! Someone could hear her. Maybe they'd get her out of this place before she went crazy, on the verge of death but unable to die.

"_What's happened?"_

Connan quickly recited what she could remember to herself; that they'd been underwater and she'd nearly died before the _Byssual _came and pulled her out from under the water. Then she turned a bit panicky as she remembered she couldn't breathe or move.

"_We'll help. Hang on."_

Connan was still on-edge, and who wouldn't be? At least now she knew that someone was coming for her, and she wouldn't have to spend the rest of her days in this insane life of a blind vegetable.

-----

Bastila exchanged glances with Juhani and Jolee before closing her eyes and focusing on Connan. It made Carth wonder exactly what they were going to try and do.

It had been hastily explained to Carth that Connan was in a sort of mental bubble, and she wasn't capable of moving or breathing inside it. It was a sort of sickness that Jedi got sometimes, when they were on the verge of death and quickly escaped it while unconscious. If they didn't get her out of it, she wouldn't die, per se, she would be stuck in her mind until her body gave out on her; living inside her mind in immobile, airless, and blind reality, driving herself nearly insane under the torturous conditions of her life of dying but living, always despairing to the point of insanity but not being able to break.

The thought of such an illness made Carth glad he was not a Jedi, for once.

It would be simple to get Connan out of it, they'd said, since they'd seen other people do it before and the procedure of how to do it had been written down in the archives. They simply had to find some way into her mind and pop the bubble she was ensnared in.

Luckily for them, the easiest way in was Bastila, whose connection with the unconscious Jedi still ran strong.

For about ten seconds nothing happened, and the apprehensive side of Carth took over again as he pondered what was happening.

Connan probably wasn't enjoying being enclosed in her own mind. She'd often told him how much she _hated _her own mind, and to be trapped within the walls of the loathed psyche in question would probably be maddening.

Not to mention the fact that Connan also hated being trapped in anything and everything, and would no doubt be trying to tear down her own mental walls simply to get out. If she could move, that is.

-----

The piercing feeling left Connan, and she knew the voice had left. She hoped it would come back. The pressure in her head was almost killing her. For a moment she wished it would. She wanted it to just let her go completely unconscious and become one with the Force.

"_You don't really want that, now do you?"_

Connan knew it wasn't the same voice talking to her. There wasn't any sort of pain in her head. Through the darkness, the outline of someone appeared in front of her and crossed its arms. Though there was a hood around the person's head, Connan could tell their eyebrows were raised. The white apparition shook its head and chuckled sadly.

"_You always get yourself in the _strangest _situations, Revan dear."_

Connan recognized the voice of Kreia. As soon as the voice registered, questions popped into her head. How come this time when someone talked to her, it didn't hurt? How come she could _see _this one? Could she be getting better, to be able to see people outside of her mind as apparitions? But Kreia was dead.

Oh, _no_. That wasn't good. Did that mean that Connan was—

"_No, Revan. I daresay you're still you're alive."_

If Connan was still alive, what was happening? How come she could see Kreia if she couldn't see anything else?

"_I'm in your mind, Revan." _Kreia insisted. _"Your friends are trying to find their way in to get you out, but I'd prefer it if you had the ability to make it out of such a situation yourself."_

It'd been at least ten or more years since Connan had had any kind of training with Kreia. She found it a bit amusing that even though her Master was dead, she was still trying to teach her things.

Wait, did Kreia just say that her friends were coming?

"_Yes, they're coming to find you." _Kreia explained. _"Jolee and Juhani are using Bastila to get into your mind and to take down the bubble that has chosen to form itself around you to keep you from dying."_

Good. At least someone was coming for her. This torture wouldn't last for much longer.

Then Kreia held a hand out in front of Connan, her

"_Stand up, Revan."_

Kreia was crazy. She was out of her mind. Dying had made her insane. Couldn't she tell that Connan couldn't move?

"_Mind over matter, Revan dear. Stand up."_

Connan couldn't even see, let alone stand. What was Kreia thinking?

"_I raised you to be independent of other Jedi, Revan. What makes you think that since you have a new identity and friends that you can count on you don't have to know how to get out of situations by yourself?" _Kreia asked. She shook her hand patiently. _"Now stand up, Revan. Come on, there's a good girl."_

Aw, what the hell? Connan focused almost all of her energy on moving her feet. They refused to comply.

"_Come on, now," _Kreia encouraged. Connan tried again, imagining her feet twitching from disuse as she set them both on the ground and grasped Kreia's hand. She tried to make her images become veracity and her legs cramped up, warning her not to push herself.

"_Once more, dear. Stand up and take my hand. You can do it. _Make_ yourself do it."_

All right, Connan decided. Once more. She was going to stand. She would balance on her own two feet and take hold the hand offered to her by her Master.

Nothing happened

She grew angry.

"_If I tell you to stand up, you're going to stand up, damn it!"_ She screamed. Before she knew what happened, she was on her feet with her hand firmly placed in the cool, wispy hand belonging to Kreia.

Connan blinked twice before trusting herself enough to look around. She still couldn't see anything, and there was nothing to breathe even if she _could _pull in air, but at least she was mobile and could speak, if only in her mind.

"_Whoa," _She said. _"This is weird."_

"_Don't let go of my hand or you'll lose sight of me," _Kreia instructed.

"_What now?" _Connan thought to her Master, tightening her grip on the hand.

"_Normally I would have you break the bubble yourself, if you had done anything _but _drowned." _Kreia started. _"But since you always have to do things the _hard way_, you'll suffocate from all the water in your lungs if you take down the bubble now."_

"_If I'm going to suffocate anyway, what was the point of trying to stand?" _Connan growled.

"_Calm down," _Kreia ordered. _"You're just going to tell your friends to take the bubble down and the moment it's down, they've got to get out and make Carth resuscitate you."_

Connan nodded.

-----

What a day. First Carth and Connan get into a fight and Bastila has to go play therapist, then Connan's about to drown on the _hottest planet in the galaxy_, and now Bastila in trying to find Connan within her own mind.

At least she wasn't dead. That would have been an unnecessarily cruel blow to Carth. The poor boy's already paranoid enough since the death of his wife, and Bastila got the feeling that Carth couldn't handle someone else he loved dearly dying.

Bastila gripped the long, light blue string attached to her chest and slid along it, following the connection to where Connan would be. She felt to pairs of arms on her shoulders, holding on as she navigated through the black abyss of Connan's mind.

If they were in the mood for talking to each other in this dark place, they all would have commented on how empty it seemed. The darkness felt almost crushing, as if it would tack them to the ground and hold them there if they stopped moving.

This thought alone kept Bastila going. It wouldn't do anyone any good if the only three Jedi left were stranded in the mind they were trying to save.

At last it seemed the light blue connection between Connan and herself came to a close, and Bastila nearly collided against a wall.

"_Well,"_ She stared, _"I guess this is it."_

-----

A large _thud _sound flittered throughout the large space of Connan's confinement.

"_Your friends are here." _Kreia answered Connan's unasked question. Connan nodded, and refrained from cupping one of her hands around her mouth as she realized she couldn't speak for lack of oxygen.

"_HEY GUYS!" _She thought as loudly as she could. Kreia cringed next to her and jerked her hand slightly.

"_That was loud," _She insisted.

"_Good, then maybe Bastila and them heard it." _Connan took a step, pulling Kreia along with her. _"Will I be able to see them?"_

"_The only reason you're able to see me because I'm dead and I once had a very close relationship with you. As none of them are dead, I'd say not."_

"_Great."_

Connan stood and waited for a reply, listening as intently as she could.

"_Connan?" _Bastila's voice never sounded so good to hear! _"Since when could you talk?"_

"_Long story." _Connan called back. _"Now look, you're going to get me out of here, right?"_

"_Yeah," _The answer came.

"_Then I need you to do what I say."_

_-----_

Bastila listened intently to Connan's instructions. When Connan was finished giving instructions as to how they were going to get her out of her own mind _alive_, Bastila nodded. She quickly relayed the message to Jolee and Juhani, both of whom nodded their agreement.

"_All right," _She called. She reached around her body with her mind, collecting the Force around her and she knew Jolee and Juhani were preparing. _"This is going to be a rough couple of minutes."_

After a few moments of collecting all the Force around them, Bastila, Juhani, and Jolee reached back with all their power and thrust their Force against the bubble surrounding Connan.

-----

With a start Jolee opened his eyes, nearly gagging on his coughs. Juhani came around seconds later, slumping to the ground and hacking into her hand. Bastila fell completely over, her shoulders heaving with each spasm of her lungs.

"Get Connan!" She managed to splutter to Carth before being thrown into another fit of coughs.

Carth was on Connan in an instant, breathing into her and pumping it out furiously, hastily repeating the procedure, almost pleading for something to happen.

-----

Connan was knocked backwards when the bubble went down. She let go of Kreia's hand and the apparition disappeared. But Connan had other things to worry about.

Her lungs were filled with water, practically choking her as someone tried to get her to breathe. Her chest ached with the pressure difference from her sustained stay underwater. Her nose burned, as if some of the horrible sea water had gone all the way up into it. Her eyes stung fiercely.

"_Breathe," _She ordered herself. _"Mind over matter. Breathe, damn you, __**breathe!**__"_

It was then that her lungs decided to oblige her, almost spitefully. They sucked in a huge gush of air and immediately sputtered it out.

-----

Carth moved out of the way just in time as Connan lunged forward, throwing water up out of her lungs and spluttering around wildly for air. She took in large gusts of air and hacked them out all in the same motion, and always with water coming out. She must have swallowed a lot of water, Carth thought.

Connan snorted and the water came pouring out of her nose, too. She shook her head back and forth fiercely and coughed one last time before opening her eyes and looking about.

"It's all right," He told her, taking her shoulders as she steadied slightly. Her shoulders were still shuddering from slight coughs. "You're okay."

He said it more for his comfort than for hers. After all, she _knew _she was alive; she didn't need anyone to remind her of the fact. _He,_ on the other hand, had half-expected her to be dead for the last five minutes of his life.

Connan nodded, as if understanding why he said this. She coughed again and Carth took her in his arms.

"Thank the Force that _Byssual _came when it did," He said.

Connan tensed. She'd expected him to figure out what had happened and get angry at her for not telling him how they were supposed to get home. The possibility that Carth wouldn't figure it out hadn't crossed her mind once.

"Yeah," She agreed, coughing again. "Good….thing."

-----

"I tell you—" She stopped to cough. "I tell you I'm fine! It's just a little bit of water!"

"A _little _bit of water!" Carth growled, shifting his grip on her as he carried her aboard their ship. It felt good to be home, Connan admitted to herself. The smells were familiar and homely. The sights were comforting. By instinct, she put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. A large, loud bark rebounded through the ship and the sound of padded feet running told Connan that Æliesha was coming.

"You nearly drowned, Connan." Carth argued. "And I won't let you just act like nothing happened! I refuse to let you go about your own way this time. I simply refuse."

Carth set Connan down so she was standing on her side of the ship for sleeping.

"You're going to change clothes and get into something dry before you catch pneumonia and I end up with a sick Jedi on my hands, and you're going to _sleep_." Carth ordered. "If you get up before I deem you to get up, I'll tie you to the bed."

"Okay!" Connan growled, rummaging through her closet for a change of clothes. "Okay, Mr. I-Want-Everything-My-Way. I'm going!"

"Good," Carth crossed his arms.

"What happened now?" Mission's voice trailed. She and Æliesha appeared in the doorway at the same moment. "Did that evil-looking thing come back?"

"It did," Connan answered from the closet. She whistled and her Kath Hound bolted to her side. "We've been gone for around four months." She pointed to her sopping-wet bag. "The datapad's in there; see if you can get T3-M4 to fix it, since the water probably messed it up."

Mission nodded and picked through the bag, clasping around the specific datapad.

"I'll tell Zaalbar to bring you some food, Connan. I bet you're hungry." She said as she left.

Connan clothed herself in new Jedi Robes and dried her hair with a sheet from the closet.

"You could have asked for a towel, you know," Carth insisted.

"This was closer," Connan excused. Carth scowled. She just didn't want to ask anyone for help. It drove him nuts.

"All right, now," He said. "Time to sleep." He led her to the bed and pushed her onto it before she could protest. Æliesha leapt up onto the bed beside Connan and laid down, already asleep.

"But… I'm not…" Carth placed a finger over her lips to stop her from speaking. They stared at each other for a moment, and Connan's shoulder jumped as she stifled a few more coughs.

"Yes you are, Connan." Carth whispered. "You're exhausted; you just don't want anyone to know. Just lay down for a while. I'll be in the Main Hold, so if anything happens just call me, okay?"

Connan frowned, but laid her head down atop the pillow and closed her eyes. In moments she was out.

-----

"What happened this time?" Jolee asked Carth as the man came out of his room, dressed in dry clothes and drying his hair with a towel. Carth took a seat at the table Jolee occupied before answering.

"We went to the future," He explained dully. Candorous sat next to Jolee, and Carth could see Juhani and Bastila listening to him from behind the Mandalorian. "Ten years after the last time Connan went." He glanced around. "Where's T3-M4?"

"Fixing that datapad," Mission walked in and sat on top of the table Carth was sitting at. "He said it shouldn't be too hard to fix, so he's starting on it."

"I guess I'll just tell you what happened, then." Carth shrugged.

As he told the story, he made sure not to leave a single thing out. He told of how Senator Padmé had almost been killed by an assassin, then of how they accompanied Anakin Skywalker and Padmé to Naboo, where the two fell in love.

"No doubt thanks to Connan, I'll bet," Bastila snarled. Carth shook his head.

"I'm sure if we weren't there to help them, they would have fallen in love anyway."

He continued his story to when they went to Tatooine to find Shmi, Anakin's mother. He told how Connan's Precognition turned against her for a few minutes as Anakin snapped and massacred the whole Sand People Village. Then he told of the message Obi Wan had given to his apprentice Anakin to send to the Jedi Council on Coruscant. In the message Obi Wan had been captured by the Geonosians of Geonosis. He smirked as he recalled how Connan had outsmarted Master Windu and told him she understood the order, but didn't say she would comply with it.

"That sounds like her," Jolee scoffed. "She always did take orders a bit literally."

Carth ended with how they were captured to, and how they battled their way away from a tarentatek and other monsters and raced down the evil Count Dooku and how Connan faced off with Malak. As he reached this part, everyone paled.

"You mean he's still alive?" Mission whined.

"No, no," Carth shook his head. "They'd pulled Malak moments before they caught us to get onto the Star Forge. When Connan stabbed him, she wiped his memory of his adventures in the future so he wouldn't mess with her head on the Star Forge."

Then he told how she'd used too much of her Force and was bed ridden for a few days. After that they spent two days on Naboo and were attacked by the Cannoks and sea monsters, and wound up back home.

"I see," Jolee scratched his chin, as if trying to sort out pieces of the puzzle. "You're saying that when Connan stabbed Malak, the _Byssual _came to collect him?"

"Yes," Carth clarified.

"And when Connan cracked her skull on the seawall, the _Byssual _showed again?"

"Correct," Carth nodded. Jolee frowned.

"You don't think it'll come back, do you?" Mission interrupted their thinking.

"I hope not."

Everyone turned. Connan stood in the doorway, popping her knuckles. Æliesha stood at her side, yawning and showing off all of her pearly, white, _sharp_ teeth.

"Connan, you should be in bed. It's only—"

"I've been asleep for around three hours, thank you." Connan corrected. She strode forward and set herself on Carth's lap. "I've had plenty of rest, seeing as how all of you have been sitting in here talking about me since I've been asleep."

"We couldn't wait for T3-M4 to finish fixing your 'pad, Connan." Mission excused. Connan shrugged.

"So you really think it won't come back?" Juhani's accented tone pulled them back into their old conversation.

"Well," Connan crossed one leg over the other. Carth wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I think Darth Sidious is the one controlling it, and he wants me to turn to the Dark Side. Since I don't know who Darth Sidious is, I can't know if he's dead or not. If he's still alive, he's definitely going to try and pull me and others back again."

"So what are we going to do?" Jolee asked. "This is a race against time we're in, Connan. Carth said it's been ten years since the last time you were pulled there, when it's only been a week to us. He could call you back at any time and you would have no clue when he would be pulling you to. He's got the advantage over us in both times."

Connan smirked, fiddling with her hair, which she decided to keep down for once. It trickled down her shoulders and Carth could smell the sea salt in it still.

"That's why we're going back to Nar Shadaa." She answered. Candorous frowned.

"We don't know when that bastard's going to jerk you back to his time again, and we're going to _Nar Shadaa_?" He asked. Connan nodded.

"Of course. I talked to Kreia while I was there. She said she was going to find information about the _Byssual _and give it to none other than the beautiful, intellectual, seriously _boring_, Donella Segora."

For a moment there was silence. Then Bastila spoke.

"We have to find the Exile…. _Again_?"

"A bit ironic, isn't it?" Connan asked. "But it'll give us something to do, other than look around for some unknown scepter like a common tomb robber." Connan stood, stretching. "Beside, Kreia said that Donella Segora would meet me in the Jek'Jek Tar on Nar Shadaa."

"It'll take us ten days to get to Nar Shadaa!" Mission argued. "Is Don Don going to wait that long?"

"Kree said she'd be there twelve days after Carth and I returned. That's ten days to get there and two days to sleep." Connan calculated. "I need to know about this _Byssual_ thing so I don't do something stupid and make it angry or _worse_, fatally wound it the next time it attacks and it dies while we're in the future. If Donnie has the answers, I say we go find them."

"What about the scepter we were so interested in finding?" Juhani questioned. Connan waved it off.

"What are the odds of someone ever getting their hands on that thing?"

-----

Connan sat on her bed, which she had conveniently put in a corner. She leaned onto the corner, with her knees brought up to her chin. She absentmindedly petted the top of Æliesha's head, earning content growls from the Kath Hound.

A knock came at the door and Connan looked up to see Jolee standing in the doorway.

"You gave us all quite a scare a few days ago," He said. Connan shrugged.

"I wouldn't have died. I will only die from—"

"Old age, I know," Jolee finished. "But that doesn't mean you still can't be wounded, or crippled for the rest of your life, and then dying by _anything _other than old age will sound better, right?"

"Point taken," Connan smirked. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Jolee opened his mouth and then closed it, as if trying to sort through what he wanted to say.

"You…." He frowned. "You meant to die when the sea monster dragged you underwater, didn't you?"

Connan paled for a split second before throwing up an innocent face.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Oh, come on now, lass." He closed the distance between them and sat on her bed. "I know you better than that. You've got it figured out, don't you? The _Byssual _comes right before you die, doesn't it? That's why it took Malak _after _you stabbed him, and not some random time before. You _knew _you couldn't go home without trying to kill yourself."

Connan crossed her arms defensively.

"I certainly didn't know it the first time, thank you." She snarled. "When the Hssiss attacked me, I thought they were going to kill me, since it _was_ four-on-one. When I figured out that it would appear when I came close to death, I tested it and came home."

"Carth doesn't know, does he?" Jolee asked. Connan shook her head.

"I'm not stupid enough to tell him we have to practically commit suicide to get home again."

"So you set both of you up." Jolee inferred.

"I didn't want Carth to get hurt," Connan confessed. "So I did the next best thing. Almost get me killed and while the _Byssual_'s chasing me down, throw Carth in the line of fire. Then I can die at my leisure and Carth wouldn't have to do anything."

"Oh, lass," Jolee crooned. "What a thing to hide."

"I know, I know." She hid her eyes with her hand.

"You know you're going to have to tell him," Jolee suggested.

"No I won't," Connan argued.

"Connan, if you get pulled in again, he's _going _to go with you. The man's stuck to you."

"He doesn't have to go with me." Connan countered. "I can stop him,"

"I still think you should tell him," Jolee insisted. "Before you actually kill him with a heart attack because you keep insisting on killing yourself."

"All right, all_ right!_" Connan agreed.

"You'll tell him?" Jolee clarified. Connan rubbed Æliesha behind the ears before answering.

"Look, if we get pulled into the future again—_both _of us, not just me—I'll tell him." She held out her hand and Jolee shook it. "But if it doesn't happen, this revelation of yours stays between us, deal?"

Jolee thought about it. It was safe to say that the next time the _Byssual _came, whether it was tomorrow or years after, Carth would be going with her. So he smiled and answered.

"Deal."

-----

**The end, guys. I can't believe I actually updated on time! I'm so proud of me! And a week before contest season, too.**

**Sorry it hasn't been as good as Phantom Menace, but we can all agree that the Attack of the Clones is the worst of all six episodes. The next one will have a lot of psychological stuff in it, apparently, and a few big fight scenes. Heh... Please stick around for it?**

**I want to thank everyone for reviewing me all the time; this story's got close to 100 reviews! I love seeing three digits in the review slot!**

**The next story will be up around next Sunday sometime, and will be titled as such:**

**The Revenge of the Sith**

**I know, you're shocked. I am too. **

**Again, I want to thank all of you guys for reviewing, and I want a **_**big**_** thanks for the lovely Estora for helping me out with how to kill them both in the last chapter! ((hands you all cookies; Estora gets two))**

**So until next Sunday, guys!**

_**Amme Moto**_


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